Rock Doc Dentistry – Crowns & Bridges
Bridges and crowns can help return your smile to its natural state.
Bridges and crowns are similar in many ways. Both are permanent solutions to improve a tooth’s appearance, shape and alignment, for example, and both can help strengthen a damaged tooth.
Crowns and bridges can also help you maintain a proper bite after losing one or more teeth. Gaps created by missing teeth can allow the remaining teeth to shift in a way that causes a bad bite, otherwise known as a dental occlusion. Bridges and crowns can help keep your remaining teeth in place and reduce your risk of a dental occlusion.
While they are the same in many says, bridges and crowns are also different from one another. If you have missing or damaged teeth, your dentist can help you decide if crowns or bridges can help restore your smile.
Crowns
Crowns cover or “cap” a damaged tooth. Your dentist may recommend a crown to:
- Cover a misshapen or discolored tooth
- Replace a filling when there is not enough tooth left to support a large filling
- Prevent fracture of a weakened tooth
- Restore and protect a fractured tooth
- Cover a tooth following root canal treatment
- Attach a bridge
Crowns also fit over dental implant implants, which are a long-term solution for missing teeth. Dental implants are metal posts or frame surgically implanted in your jaw. The crown fits over the metal post, giving you the look of a real tooth.
Bridges
Bridges fill in the gaps left by missing teeth. Your dentist cements the bridge to the teeth on either side of the gap. Your dentist can also place a bridge on dental implants to replace large gaps created by several missing teeth.
Both bridges and crowns should last a lifetime, but they can loosen or even fall out. Practicing good oral hygiene can help ensure the longevity of your crowns and bridges. Specifically, you should:
- Avoid chewing ice, hard foods, or other hard objects
- Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day
- See your dentist regularly for checkups and see your hygienist regularly for professional cleanings
For more information on crowns and bridges, consult with your Bakersfield dentists at Rock Doc Dentistry.