Crowns and Bridges: And Not the Fairytale Kind
When it comes to dentistry, dental crowns and tooth bridges are super important. Both are prosthetic devices that are cemented to your teeth or implants. But what exactly are they and how can they help your teeth?
Dental Crowns
Crowns work as a cap to your tooth. This is usually put in place after a tooth has chipped, broken, or otherwise been damaged. A crown can be either porcelain or metal. Metal crowns are generally stronger, and therefore recommended more for back teeth. Porcelain crowns are used more for front teeth, as they can be made into the color of your tooth and look a lot more natural. Or there’s always the choice of a porcelain crown bonded to a metal shell, which has both the strength and pretty look.
Dental crowns can be used for a number of things, including but not limited to:
- Protecting a weak tooth
- Restoring a fractured tooth
- Covering a root canal treatment
- Replacing a large filling when there is little tooth left
Tooth Bridges
Bridges are generally used when, for one reason or another, you’re missing some teeth. When teeth fall out or are removed for damage, the space needs to be filled. If it’s left as a gap, your entire bite can look wrong and your teeth will be imbalanced. It also can lead to gum disease where the tooth is missing. Generally, bridges are attached to the surrounding teeth or implants. These surrounding teeth become the bridge’s anchors so it doesn’t fall out. The same material choices for dental crowns apply for tooth bridges.
At REAL Dentistry, we want your teeth to be as healthy and beautiful as possible. If you think there’s something wrong with your teeth and you might be in need a crown or bridge, call Dr. Real today at (714) 525-2888.