Crowns & Bridges
What are Crowns and Bridges?
Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable devices such as dentures, which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.
How do Crowns Work?
A crown is used to entirely cover or "cap" a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. These alloys are generally stronger than porcelain and may be recommended for back teeth. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive.
How do Bridges Work?
A bridge may be recommended if you're missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
Benefits of Dental Crowns
- Reduces pain/sensitivity caused by a cracked tooth
- Restore patient’s esthetics
- Prevents a crack from progressing and damaging the nerve of the tooth
- Improves the aesthetics of damaged teeth or those with larges silver fillings
- Improves occlusion (the bite) to prevent or ease pain from TMJ disorder
Benefits of a Fixed Bridge
- Promotes a balanced bite, reducing the risk of excess stress on adjacent teeth
- Allows patients to eat with ease
- Helps maintain the shape of the patient’s face
- Prevents adjacent teeth from shifting