Crowns & Bridges

 

Through our restorative services, damaged or missing teeth can be replaced by the placement of crowns or bridges: 

 

Crowns

When a tooth is heavily decayed it is more likely to fracture and lose considerable tooth substance. Crowns, often called caps, are used to restore a tooth to its normal shape & size. It can make your tooth stronger and improve its appearance as well.

• To place a crown, the dentist prepares your tooth by reducing it in size with a rotary instrument so that a replacement tooth can fit over the existing tooth.Impressions of your teeth and surrounding areas are made, and lifesize models constructed. Using these models, the actual crown is fabricated. You'll be given a temporary crown to wear while the actually crown is being constructed. After a "try-in" appointment, any necessary changes are made, and the crown is then cemented into place.

• Crowns may be made from several different materials, gold and porcelain being the most common types.

• Gold is usually used on the back teeth, as it has several advantages over porcelain teeth. Gold is strong in thin section and less tooth needs to be drilled away before taking the impression and fitting the crown.The lab technician finds it easier to use gold as it shrinks less when cast and is easier to polish. Crowns of porcelain shrink when cast and the technician has to estimate this when making the crown.

• Porcelain is usually always used for the front teeth but may be used for the back teeth. This material can be made to appear very natural though several factors affect this. Some porcelain crowns have metal inside which gives strength and support to the porcelain. This acts as a barrier for light and gives the crown a dull color. 

 

Bridges

When a tooth or teeth are lost and not replaced, your teeth can drift from their proper position. This drifting can cause many undesirable consequences such as jaw pain and headaches from malocclusion (bad bite alignment). Drifting of teeth can make certain areas more susceptible to decay. Problems with the supporting structure of your teeth can arise from the shifting of teeth as they try to fill a vacant area. In order to prevent this, a bridge is recommended. 

• Bridges are tooth replacements that are attached to adjoining natural teeth. As the name of this appliance implies, the bridge is made out of three pieces that fit into the open space in the mouth, "bridging" the gap. Fixed and bonded bridges are the two most common kinds.

• Bridges generally work best for people who have only a few missing teeth. Both fixed and bonded bridges require that the adjoining teeth be healthy and have adequate gum and root support. It's very important to keep your remaining teeth healthy and strong. The difference between proper and improper oral hygiene is usually what determines the success of a dental bridge.