Do you have one or more missing teeth, teeth with large fillings, or badly worn or damaged teeth? To help improve the look of your smile, protect your teeth and make chewing and talking easier, you may benefit from either a dental crown or a bridge.
Understanding Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are highly versatile caps or covers that go over existing teeth in order to prevent further decay of the tooth. They can be used for dental implants in order to replace missing teeth, and they can be used to secure dental bridges to the surrounding teeth. When an individual gets a crown, the dentist typically puts a temporary crown over the tooth while the permanent crown is precisely created in a laboratory. Once the permanent crown is ready, a second appointment is scheduled to remove the temporary crown and place the permanent crown.
Metal Crowns
There are two types of metal crowns. The first type is the all-metal crown, which is usually manufactured out of metal alloys, gold, and platinum. Gold crowns can be placed on any teeth. All-metal crowns are typically placed on the back teeth or are used for children who have severely decayed baby teeth.
For individuals who like the durability of metal but not the appearance, there are metal crowns that have porcelain fused to the metal. These crowns offer better aesthetics than an all-metal crown. However, they can cause excessive wear on the surrounding teeth, and the porcelain can crack or chip.
Ceramic and Porcelain Crowns
For individuals who do not want to risk damaging their adjacent teeth, there are ceramic and porcelain crowns that do not contain any metal. These crowns are completely fabricated out of the desired material and fitted over existing teeth or over a dental implant.
Resin Crowns
When it comes to affordable crowns, the resin crown is considered the least costly. However, these crowns may also need to be replaced in the future due to wear and tear.
Understanding Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are used to replace missing teeth. These dental prosthetics span the gaps between the remaining teeth and are anchored by crowns or dental implants. When a bridge is anchored by a crown, the anchoring teeth on each side of the gap are filed in order to fit the crown over the tooth. Then additional prosthetic teeth are used to fill the gap. The prosthetic teeth are typically called pontics. Like crowns, bridges can be made out of several different materials, including metal alloys, gold, and porcelain. Bridges can last anywhere from five to 15 years, and practicing good oral hygiene can extend the life of a bridge.
Traditional Bridges
When most people think of a bridge, they think of a traditional bridge, which is anchored to the surrounding teeth via a crown or a dental implant. This is the most common type of bridge.
Cantilever Bridges
These bridges were used more in the past than they are today. These bridges only contain anchors on one side and are not as robust as traditional bridges. They also should not be used to replace missing molars in the back of the mouth.
Maryland Bonded Bridges
Maryland bonded bridges do not contain crowns. Instead, the pontics are fused to a metal or porcelain framework and metal or porcelain wings are bonded to the back of the surrounding teeth.
Benefits of Crowns and Bridges
- Add Durability to a Damaged Tooth
- Improve Chewing and Speaking
- Improve Smile
- Prevent Other Teeth From Shifting and/or Rotating out of Place
- Replace One or More Missing Teeth
Reasons You’d Need a Dental Crown or Bridge
If you have severely decayed teeth, need teeth extracted or already have missing teeth due to tooth extractions, you probably need a dental crown or a dental bridge from our dentist. If you have damaged teeth or teeth with large fillings, you may be better off with a dental crown to help protect the remaining tooth and add durability for chewing. If you are missing one tooth, you can opt for a dental crown with an implant or a dental bridge. If you are missing more than one tooth, you may want to consider getting a dental bridge.
Triangle Dentistry, located in Raleigh, NC, provides a state-of-the-art facility that offers exceptional general dental and specialty services guided by empathy of a patient’s needs and desires. Services range from dental crowns to veneers and whitening procedures. For further information, questions, or to schedule an appointment, contact the office at (919) 747-3608.