Dental Crowns and Bridges
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Dental Crowns
Crown installation is an in-office procedure that follows these steps:
- Your dentist will use a local anesthetic to numb your tooth and gums during the procedure. They will then file and remove the outer layer of your tooth, so the crown fits properly
- Next, your dentist will make an impression of your tooth, so its exact dimensions can be replicated. For this part of the procedure, you may be asked to bite down into putty in a mouth guard, which hardens into a mold of your teeth. More often, though, these impressions are done quickly and cleanly with a digital scanner.
- The new crown takes approximately two weeks to make, and in the interim your dentist will place a temporary, protective crown on your tooth.
- When the permanent crown arrives, your dentist will fit it onto your tooth and permanently cement it in place.
A dental crown can be constructed of a number of different materials:
• Stainless steel
• Metal
• Ceramic
• Resin
• Porcelain fused to metal
• Cobalt-chromium
• Nickel-chromium
• Platinum
• Gold
• Porcelain
Most crowns last between 5 -15 years.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us today. We look forward to providing you with the personal care you deserve.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth.
A bridge is made up of two or more crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap — these two or more anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth — and a false tooth/teeth in between. These false teeth are called pontics and can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. Dental bridges are supported by natural teeth or implants.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Bridges?
Bridges can:
• Restore your smile
• Restore the ability to properly chew and speak
• Maintain the shape of your face
• Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
• Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position
What Is the Process for Getting a Dental Bridge?
During the first visit for getting a dental bridge, the abutment teeth are prepared. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them.
Next, impressions of the teeth are made, which serve as a model from which the bridge, pontic, and crowns will be made by a dental lab. Your dentist will make a temporary bridge to wear to protect the exposed teeth and gums while the bridge is being made.
During the second visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and the new porcelain or metal bridge will be checked and adjusted, as necessary, to achieve a proper fit. Multiple visits may be required to check the fit of the metal framework and bite. This is dependent on each individual’s case.
If the dental bridge is a fixed bridge, your dentist may temporarily cement it in place for a couple of weeks to make sure it is fitting properly. After a couple weeks, the bridge is cemented into place.