Crowns and Bridges
Crowns
Most dental work looks like dental work. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.
Where damage to a person’s teeth is extreme, and apparently beyond repair, we can use porcelain or porcelain “pasted on gold” crowns to make the smile appear as new. This is an extremely reliable technique for repairing the most severe of dental problems. We are renowned for the quality of our work and the fantastic changes we make for people using this technology. Crowns are used for a long lasting correction of major dental problems. It is usual for these treatments to last for 20 to 30 years, which is as close to permanent as dental treatment can get.
How long does it take to have a crown placed?
Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to our office. Initially, we will remove decay, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown of either plastic or metal. On the subsequent visit we will remove the temporary crown, and then fit and adjust the final crown. Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you have a new and beautiful looking tooth.
Key Benefits
- Replaces missing teeth
- Offers support to misshapen teeth or badly broken teeth
- Looks completely natural
- Fixes “smile” and functional chewing problems
What are the capabilities of crowns?
Crowns are a very reliable solution for major dental problems caused by accidents, diseases or wear and tear. Major problems can usually be corrected using these techniques. The material used to make a crown is either high-grade porcelain, or porcelain bonded to gold. A higher strength of the porcelain and gold material is recommended to treat the most serious of dental problems.
Crowns and/or bridges can be used as a long-term solution where:
- Accidental damage has occurred, resulting in lost teeth
- Teeth have broken down through excessive wear
- Old fillings have broken or decayed
- A root canal procedure has been completed
Many people have unexplained pain from filled back teeth, which is usually due to hairline cracks in the chewing part of the tooth. Placing crowns on these teeth relieves the pain and allows a return of full dental function. In front teeth, older fillings can both weaken the teeth and cause appearance problems due to staining or chipping. Porcelain crowns and bridges are suitable in cases where porcelain veneers are not.
Bridges
All of your teeth play an important role in speaking, chewing and in maintaining proper alignment of other teeth. Tooth loss doesn’t necessarily have to occur as you age, but if you do lose teeth, they must be replaced to maintain proper function of your mouth. Fortunately, there are options for correcting tooth loss.
A bridge — a device used to replace missing teeth — attaches artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth, called abutment teeth. Bridges are either permanently attached (fixed bridges), or they can be removable.
Fixed bridges are applied by either placing crowns on the abutment teeth or by bonding the artificial teeth directly to the abutment teeth. Removable bridges are attached to the teeth with metal clasps or by precision attachments.
What exactly is a bridge or fixed partial denture?
A bridge (fixed partial denture) is a device, which fills the gap where teeth are absent. Fixed bridges are bonded into place and can only be removed by a dental professional. Removable bridges, as the name implies, can be taken out and cleaned each day. Fixed bridges offer more stability than their removable counterparts.
Why do I need a bridge?
- Oral functionality and appearance are important reasons for wearing a bridge. A bridge helps support your lips and cheeks. The loss of a back tooth may cause your mouth to sink and your face to look older.
- Dental health is the most important reason for a bridge. Teeth were designed to complement each other. Unusual stresses are placed on the gums and other oral tissues when teeth are missing, causing a number of potentially harmful disorders.
- Increased risk of gum disease has proven to be one of the worst side effects of missing teeth and can be minimized with a bridge.
- Missing teeth can cause speech disorders. A full complement of teeth are used to make many of the sounds that enable us to speak clearly.
How is a bridge attached?
The attachment procedure usually takes two or three appointments to complete. At the first appointment your doctor will prepare the teeth on either side of the gap by removing a portion of the enamel and dentin.
Since the bridge must be fabricated very precisely to ensure correct bite and to match the opposing teeth, impressions of the teeth are taken and sent to a dental laboratory where the bridge will be constructed.
Fixed bridges are typically cemented to the natural teeth next to the space left by the missing tooth. A pontic (false tooth) replaces the lost tooth. Crowns, which are cemented onto the natural teeth, provide support for the bridge.
What materials are used?
Bridges can be constructed from gold alloys, non-precious alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Porcelain is often bonded to either precious or non-precious metal.
How do I take care of my bridge?
A strict regimen of brushing and flossing will keep the bridge and surrounding teeth clean. This is of critical importance as the bridge relies on the neighboring teeth for support.