Crowns & Bridges
What are Crowns & Bridges?
Crowns and bridges are common dental restorations used to repair and replace damaged or missing teeth. They are custom-made prosthetic devices that are cemented onto existing teeth or dental implants to restore their function, appearance, and alignment. Both crowns and bridges are fixed restorations, meaning they are permanently attached to the teeth or implants and cannot be removed by the patient
Dental crown:
A dental crown, also known as a “cap,” is a tooth-shaped cover that is placed over a damaged or weakened tooth to protect it and restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Dental crowns are commonly used to:
- Restore severely decayed teeth that cannot be repaired with a filling.
- Strengthen and protect a tooth after root canal treatment.
- Cover and protect a fractured or chipped tooth.
- Improve the appearance of discolored or misshapen teeth.
- Support and anchor a dental bridge in place.
Dental bridges:
Dental bridges are used to replace one or more missing teeth. They consist of one or more artificial teeth, called pontics, which are held in place by dental crowns (abutments) on adjacent natural teeth or dental implants. Dental bridges are suitable when there are healthy teeth on either side of the gap left by missing teeth.
Why dental bridges?
There is an immense number of benefits you can avail of while going in for dental bridges. The major advantage of these bridges is that with their help of them, you can easily restore your smile as well as your personality..
It is a fact that you will certainly feel uncomfortable while biting food, even if one tooth is missing. If you are missing multiple teeth, it becomes quite difficult for everyday activities such as eating or speaking. This problem can easily be sought out, with the help of bridges.
Dental bridge procedure
If you want to obtain a dental bridge, then you will be required to make visits to the dental clinic a few times.
- During the first visit to the clinic, Diagnosis and general evaluation are carried out to make sure dental bridge is the right treatment for you. Then abutment teeth are prepared according to the requirement of your bite.
- A specific portion of the enamel is removed so that the crown can be placed over the teeth. In the next step impressions of the teeth are taken, so that they can be taken as a model for the manufacturing of pontic, crowns and bridges in the dental laboratory. Your dentist will provide you with a temporary bridge for the protection of exposed gums and teeth for some period of time.
- In the next visit, the temporary bridge will be removed and a new permanent bridge will be located in the place, which can easily be adjusted according to the requirement of the patient. It will take around two weeks for the permanent bridge to get cemented into its location. After that, it can perform its function independently.
- Both crowns and bridges are made from durable materials, such as ceramic, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or zirconia, which can closely mimic the appearance of natural teeth. With proper care and regular dental check-ups, dental crowns and bridges can last for many years, providing patients with a reliable and long-lasting solution for dental restoration and tooth replacement.