What Are Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a cap-like restoration that is cemented over a damaged tooth to cover it. Crowns are helpful in restoring the shape and size of the tooth, holding the tooth in place, and also protecting it from breakage. Crowns can be made of dental-grade metals, ceramics, or porcelain.
What Are Bridges?
A bridge is a dental prosthetic used to restore missing teeth. A bridge comprises two crowns on either side of an artificial tooth in the middle. It is cemented in place with the help of dental adhesive to stay firmly in position and restore oral functionality.
What are the Uses of Crowns and Bridges?
Dental crowns are placed on a tooth when it has suffered damage to its structure. The tooth may have been broken, cracked, or otherwise compromised. Crowns also help in restoring teeth that have been weakened from excessive wear.
Crowns are also used for the following purposes:
- To cover a damaged or misshapen tooth to make it look aesthetically pleasing.
- To protect a tooth that has undergone root canal treatment.
- To strengthen a weak or broken tooth to prevent its fracture.
- To cover an old dental filling to restore its functionality.
- To replace a cracked or broken filling when it is not possible to fill them using composite resins due to their location in the mouth.
- To cover a weak, old, or poorly fitting filling to prevent them from further deterioration.
- To replace a missing tooth with an artificial tooth that looks and feels like a natural one.
Bridges are beneficial in the following ways:
- Replacing a missing tooth with an artificial one made from porcelain or ceramic materials that look and feel like natural teeth.
- Concealing gaps between teeth to make your smile look attractive by restoring both cosmetic and oral functionality.
- Restoring dental functionality by allowing you to bite and chew food normally.
- Prevent facial sagging due to missing teeth as they hold your jawbone intact and prevent its downward movement.
- Restoring phonetics that you might have lost due to missing teeth.
What Is the Procedure For Placing Crowns and Bridges?
We will first assess your mouth using X-rays and digital scans, which will help us determine your candidacy for crowns and bridges based on their structure and surrounding tissues in the mouth. We will take accurate impressions of your mouth using digital imaging systems that also help us create models for fabricating crowns and bridges in our laboratory using advanced CAD/CAM technology.
We will then prepare your teeth for placing the restoration by removing any decay present on them and shaping them accordingly if required. We will then clean your teeth meticulously before applying a chemical etching agent to roughen their surface so that an adhesive bond can be formed with the tooth itself when we apply adhesive onto them next. We will then place the crown or bridge on your teeth, check its fit, and then bond it permanently using dental adhesives by activating it using a suitable curing light of blue light.
If you are interested in learning more about our services, call Smyrna Dental Group in Smyrna, TN, at (615) 355-6800 to schedule an appointment with our dentists or request an appointment online.