What Are Dental Crowns And Bridges?

Introduction

Are you missing a tooth? or do you have a damaged tooth? If you do, you may want to consider taking a visiting your nearest dentist.

For anyone with a need for dental crowns or bridges, you can visit Kariong Dental Care today especially if you are residing in the Gosford region of Australia. This post will give you an insight into what dental crowns and bridges are and what to expect from your dentist.

What exactly are Dental Crowns and Bridges?

Dental crowns and tooth Bridges are both permanent prosthetic dental care devices. They are permanent because they are not like dentures that are removable in nature. 

Dental crowns and tooth Bridges are actually cemented either on a preexisting tooth/teeth or on tooth root implants. Once crowns and bridges are done, they cannot be removed except by dentist Mascot.

So how does the dental crowns actually work?

As mentioned before, dental crowns basically cap or cover a damaged tooth in its entirety to improve both the aesthetics and functions of the tooth/teeth. 

With the crown the tooth regains its original shape, appearance, alignment, and usefulness. Apart from having a crown placed over a damaged tooth, it can equally be fitted on tooth root implants. 

Crowns are usually made from either ceramic or porcelain and a qualified dentist like those in Kariong Dental Care can ensure that the colour of your natural teeth and the colour of the crowns fitted are a perfect match. 

While ceramic and porcelain are the most commonly used materials for crowns, they are by no means the only materials that can be used. It is possible to have crowns made from acrylic, metal alloys, and even pure gold fitted to implants or damaged tooth/teeth.

The truth is, metal alloys are more durable than your regular porcelain and because of their strength these alloys are best suited for damaged back teeth or implants.

However, a crown made from a combination of porcelain and a metal alloy is also a preferred option as it showcases the best of both worlds, it is attractive as well as as strong.

Why do you need a Crown fitted?

You may need a crown fitted for the following reasons; 

• You can fit a crown to cover up a dental implant.

• A crown can be fitted if you want to have a bridge attached.

• Where you have undergone a treatment for the root canal of your tooth or teeth, you can cap the tooth or teeth with crowns.

• Crowns are needed if you have weak teeth and you want to protect them from chipping or fracturing.

• Crowns are needed to restore tooth or teeth that have fractured.

• If the filling in your tooth/teeth is large and needs to be replaced, but what remains of the tooth/teeth itself is not much, you can have crowns fitted.

• If your tooth or teeth is not well aligned or shaped, you can have dental crowns done.

• You can also go for crowns if you want to cap a discoloured tooth.

What are Bridges?

If you have a gap or gaps in your dentition caused by a missing tooth or teeth, it is recommended that you have bridges done.

As the name implies, a bridge helps to fill in or bridge the gap between your natural teeth. With gaps in your dentition, the teeth remaining may shift or even rotate into the gap or gaps created by the missing tooth/teeth. This can eventually lead to a temporomandibular joint disorders or TMJ, gum disease, and also a bad bite.

Bridges will be cemented either to Implants or your natural teeth closest to the gap or gaps. The bridge replaces the missing tooth or teeth. First, abutments are fitted which will help to firmly hold the bridges. Next, the pontic which is the prosthetic replacement tooth is then fitted to the crowns which cap the abutments. Just like crowns, bridges are also made from a host of materials.

Central Coast Dentists at Kariong Dental Care will advise you on which bridge material is best suited for use. What is considered is the tooth location, the function of the tooth or teeth, and its overall appearance.