Crowns and Bridges
Crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices, cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.
A crown is used to entirely cover or cap a damaged tooth. Its purpose is to strengthen a damaged tooth, and can be used to also improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown may be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth and are often used for front teeth. Other materials may be used for back teeth since they are generally stronger than porcelain, and can include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because of its strenght and attractiveness.
A crown may be recommmended to:
- Replace large fillings when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
- Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
- Restore a fractured tooth
- Attach a bridge
- Cover a dental implant
- Cover a poorly shaped or discolored tooth
- Cover a tooth that has had root canal work
A bridge may be recommended when:
You’re missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth can cause remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. This imbalance caused by missing teeth might also lead to gum disease and joint ) disorders.
Bridges commonly replace one or more missing teeth, and span the space where the teeth are missing. They are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space.
Contact us today to let Comfort Dental Associates of Burke Virginia help with your crown and bridge needs.
