Crowns and Bridges

Dental crowns and bridges are two types of cosmetic treatment which are used to fill gaps in teeth or improve teeth if they are damaged. It’s important to know which one will work best in your mouth. However, these dental treatments restore your teeth’s natural look and strengthen their function.

Crowns

A crown (cap) covers a tooth which may be damaged or to improve the appearance, shape or alignment of teeth. Other reasons to have a dental crown are to replace a large filling or to fix a dental implant. As well as the materials mentioned above, gold and metal alloys may be used, particularly on back teeth to make them stronger.

Crowns can help strengthen a damaged tooth as well as fix its appearance, especially in regard to alignment and shape.

Bridges

Bridges, “bridge” the gap between two teeth (where teeth may be absent). Bridges also stop the remaining teeth from moving into the empty spaces. This, in turn, can prevent tooth decays, a misaligned bite, gum disease, or TMJ (jaw joint) disorders.

Treatment

Before you are fitted for crowns or bridges, the teeth they will fit over must be reduced in size. After this is completed, an impression of the reduced teeth will be made so the new crown or bridge fits perfectly. These types of restorative dentistry are permanently cemented to your teeth.

The treatments are similar because both of them are fixed within your mouth and can only be removed by a dentist, unlike dentures which can be removed and cleaned. Both are usually made from porcelain or ceramic and can be designed to match the colour and shape of your teeth.

Your dentist is the best person to guide you throughout the process but here are the differences and benefits of dental crowns and bridges.

Price

There are many variables that can affect the price including:

• number of teeth needed to fill the gap
• materials used, such as composite resin, zirconia, or metal alloy covered in resin
• complexity/difficulty of the placement
• additional treatments for other dental issues, such as gum disease
• geographic location

Benefits of a dental bridge

• Correct Position – preventing your remaining teeth from moving out of the correct position
• Functional Restoration- With the help of a bridge, we will restore your dental functionality. That is, you will be able to chew and eat efficiently. A bridge will also improve the clarity of speech that may have been lost due to the absence of a natural tooth.
• Force Distribution– The bridge structure distributes the chewing force equally to the supporting teeth, making for easier chewing.
• Aesthetics– This is also a major benefit of a bridge. Not only do you recover your functionality, you can also restore or even improve your smile with a bridge.
• Durability – Just like dental crowns, bridges also tend to last much longer than removable dentures.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

• Dental crowns can have the following advantages – Improved Chewing / Eating, are often affected when you lose or damage a tooth. Thanks to modern dentistry, the materials that are used to build the dental crown have been made tougher so that you can continue to eat foods that you love with almost zero restrictions.
• Protection/Restoration of tooth structure – A dental crown is designed to cap or cover an existing tooth root canal treatment or a dental implant. It will completely fit over the top and is bonded into place. If you have a tooth that is broken, decayed, or cracked, your new dental crown will provide important protection from bacteria that might cause further damage.
• Aesthetics– Along with physical protection, a crown also offers an aesthetic advantage. Crowns can be made to restore the original shape of your tooth. Ceramic crowns are strong, and yet very good looking. The colour can be matched to the colour of the adjacent teeth, restoring or improving upon your original smile.
• Durability – Crowns last the longest of most dental restorations, with a life of fifteen years or more.

Schedule a consultation

Learn more about dental crowns and bridges by visiting our team at Novel Dental Group in Gravesend.  If you would like to schedule an appointment, call 01474 352 990 or request an appointment online.