Crowns and Bridges: Popular Choices to Repair Teeth

By Lynn Fugaro

Restorative dentistry is just one of the specialized branches of cosmetic dentistry that focuses on repairing and/or replacing damaged or decayed teeth. Two very common ways that a cosmetic dentist restores damaged teeth are by making and placing crowns and dental bridges. The improvements crowns and bridges can provide to damaged teeth are astonishing.

What is a crown?

If your tooth is damaged to a degree where it cannot hold a filling, a crown may be necessary. A crown is a tooth-shaped cover placed over a tooth that is damaged or decayed. Crowns, also called caps, are made to look just like your teeth. Patients needing crowns generally have a tooth that is damaged quite extensively, and filling material cannot replace the missing tooth structure. Crowns can hold together parts of a broken tooth and can also be used to hold a bridge in place. Misshapen and badly discolored teeth can also be covered by crowns.

How are crowns made?

Some crowns are prefabricated and are made of plastic or stainless steel; prefabricated crowns can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is manufactured. Crowns can be all metal, porcelain fused to metal (PFM), or all ceramic. The metals used in making crowns are gold alloy, other alloys such as palladium or a base-metal alloy such as nickel or chromium. The all metal and PFM crowns are the strongest and are typically used for back teeth. PFM and all-ceramic crowns look just like real teeth. Crowns can last anywhere from approximately 7 to 40 years depending on how well they're taken care of.

How are crowns placed?

Since the teeth that need crowns are often decayed and damaged, endodontic (root canal) treatment is sometimes necessary before the crown is placed. However, not everyone who needs a crown will also need a root canal. To put a crown in place, your dentist must file down the tooth to make room for it. After filing down the tooth, he will use a piece of thread or cord to push the gum down around the tooth and then make an impression of the tooth. The impression material is removed after several minutes. The impressions are sent to the lab and the crown is made.

While your permanent crown is being made, you will receive a temporary usually made of plastic and made right in the office on the day of your visit. At your next visit, the temporary crown will be removed and the permanent crown will be tested to check size and fit. Once the crown is ready, it is cemented to your tooth.

Placing a crown is a fairly simple procedure that typically does not cause any post-procedure discomfort or sensitivity. If you do notice pain or sensitivity when you bite down, you should call your dentist as this usually means the crown is too high on the tooth and can be easily fixed.

If your crown becomes loose or chipped, you should call your dentist. If the crown comes completely out of your mouth, clean the crown and the tooth and call your dentist to get an appointment the next day to have this repaired.

What is a dental bridge?

Dental bridges are another cosmetic dentistry option to repair or replace missing teeth. A dental bridge is a false tooth that is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill the area left by the missing tooth. A bridge is essentially a group of interconnecting crowns used to stabilize your bite when you are missing one or more teeth. The bridge prevents further damage to your gums and teeth and gives you a new and improved smile.

One type of bridge is the fixed bridge. Fixed bridges are attached onto your teeth on either side of the false tooth, and fixed bridges cannot e taken out of your mouth. Another type of bridge is called a cantilever bridge; these bridges are used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space.

Bridges are very beneficial cosmetic dentistry tools as missing teeth can lead to serious problems; when teeth are missing, other teeth can begin to drift out of position. This movement of the teeth can lead to changes in your bite, tooth decay, gum disease and even severe migraine-like headaches.

For More Information:

If you would like to learn more about how crowns and dental bridges can be used to fix your damaged or decayed teeth, please visit the website of the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies.

You can learn about the various cosmetic dentistry techniques and treatments and you can find a highly trained LVI dentist in the area in which you live. Cosmetic dentistry performed by LVI-trained dentists can be a life-changing experience.

Article courtesy of www.ezinearticles.com.