Bridges

A PICTURE PERFECT SMILE WITH

Crown And Bridge

If your tooth is damaged but not lost, a crown (also called a cap) can be used to cover the damaged part of your tooth. However if your tooth is badly damaged or lost you might be better off with a bridge.

Crowns

A crown protects your tooth from further damage. You may need a crown if:

* you have a root canal.
* you have a large filling in a tooth.
* you have a broken tooth.
* your tooth is badly stained, not the right shape or out of line.

Crowns can be made of different kinds of metals, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. They are strong and last for about 10 years, if you take good care of them. Brush and floss your crown, just like you clean your natural teeth.
But crowns and replacement teeth may not be as strong as your natural teeth, so:

Do not bite down on hard objects;
Do not use your teeth to open or cut things; and
Do not do these things with your natural teeth either.

Here’s how a crown is made:

Step 1
Your dentist may make a mold (or an impression) of your tooth to fit a temporary crown. It protects your tooth until the final, permanent crown is ready. Temporary crowns may not have the same shape and colour as permanent ones.

Step 2
Your dentist gives you freezing (called a local anesthetic). He or she then reduces your tooth (about the thickness of a dime) to make room for the crown.

Step 3
Another mold (or impression) is taken of the filed-down tooth and nearby teeth. Then the temporary crown is placed over your tooth and you are sent on your way.

Step 4
This mold is sent to a dental lab, where your permanent crown is custom-made. The mold of your tooth is used to make a model. A filling (or restoration) that is the same size and shape as your tooth is built based on the model.

Step 5
On your next visit, your dentist takes off the temporary crown and puts on the permanent one. Then he or she checks to make sure the crown is the right fit, shape and colour. If it is, your dentist cements the crown into place. Your tooth will look and work very much like a natural tooth.

These are the steps dentists most often follow in making a crown, but your tooth may need special care. You may need orthodontic treatment or gum treatment. It may take more than two visits to your dentist or your visits may last longer.

Bridges

Dentists believe that the best teeth are your own teeth. They will do all they can to make sure you keep your teeth. But sometimes, a tooth is badly damaged or lost.

The three ways to restore missing teeth are as follows:

* Dentures
* Bridges
* Implants

If a tooth is lost, it is important to replace it with a false (or artificial) tooth as soon as possible. This procedure will prevent your remaining teeth from drifting out of line and causing other problems.

A bridge is also called a “fixed bridge” or a “fixed partial denture.” A bridge can replace one or more missing teeth and is held firmly in place by healthy teeth on each side of the missing one(s). You cannot take a bridge out. It is permanent.

The major disadvantage of bridges is that they require the teeth adjacent to the space to be reduced about the thickness of a dime. This reduction potentially weakens the adjacent teeth. Bridges are also difficult to keep clean which invites bacteria to build up around the margins leading to eventual failure. For this reason, implants are the preferred way to restore missing teeth.

How a Bridge is Made:

Step 1
The teeth on each side of the missing one(s) are prepared for crowns (reduced).

Step 2
The false tooth (or teeth) and two crowns are custom-made in a dental lab as one piece.

Step 3
The unit is placed in your mouth. The crowns are cemented to your two healthy teeth on each side of the missing one(s).

A bridge should last for about 7-10 years, depending on how well you keep the area clean. Your dentist will show you how to use a floss threader to floss under and around the false tooth (or teeth) in the middle of the bridge.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION.

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