CROWN & BRIDGES

What Are Dental Crowns?

Dental Crowns are a fixed prosthetic device that’s used to help save an infected tooth. Dental crowns are cemented onto your existing teeth or dental implants and can only be removed by a dentist. Also known as “caps”, dental crowns are put in place to completely cover a damaged tooth. Thanks to technological advancements, gone are the days of having a mouth full of metal colored crowns. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can now be used to match the natural color of your teeth for a natural appearance.

Indications of Dental Crowns

• You have a cavity that is too big for a filling.
• You have a tooth with a large old filling that is deteriorating.
• You have a tooth that is chipping, cracked or worn down.
• You have a root canal treatment.
• You have a discolored or badly shaped tooth.

How Do Crowns help?

Crowns restore the shape, strength, functionality and appearance of a damaged or weak tooth. Crowns protect the vulnerable part of the tooth by physically holding it together, so you can use your tooth to chew again without risking damage to the tooth.

Crowns also help to restore and maintain the structural integrity of your mouth and bite by filling any gaps and preventing migration of the teeth.

At our office, we use the highest quality, very resilient and durable materials for crowns. We partner with well reputed local labs that have been serving the community for decades.

A Dental Bridge is another fixed prosthetic restoration that can replace missing teeth. It bridges the gap between two natural teeth when, one or more teeth are missing. The two teeth around the gap support and home the bridge and are known as abutments and the replacement artificial tooth or teeth are known as pontics.

Indications of Dental Bridges

• To replace a tooth or teeth.
• To restore ability to chew.
• To restore and maintain the structure of your bite.
• To prevent shifting other teeth into the space.

Why do you need a bridge?

Teeth are made to work together. When you lose a tooth, the adjacent teeth may tilt into the space and the teeth in the opposite jaw begin to shift up or down in the space. This can affect your bite, cause stress on your TMJ and unfavorable changes in the bone structure around the teeth that are shifting. Teeth that are tilted/ drifted are difficult to clean and at higher risk for decay and periodontal disease. Therefore, it is very essential to prevent any shifting or tilting of natural teeth from their original positions by replacing any missing teeth.

Do you have questions about dental crowns or bridges? Call the dental office at Saratoga Family Dentistry today and our friendly staff will answer any questions or concerns that you may have about your dental crown procedure.