Crowns and Bridges
Crowns and Bridges in Lawrenceville, GA
A crown is a restoration placed over a prepared tooth to protect and restore it to its standard shape and size. At Dental Images of Gwinnett, when a tooth is cracked, has a large cavity, or has had a previous large filling, a crown may be placed over it to help restore its strength and improve its function. While a bridge replaces one or more missing teeth with artificial replacement teeth called a pontic, a crown is often used in conjunction with the bridge to hold the bridge in place.
Dental Crowns
The crown is custom-made to match the shape and size of the natural tooth, so it blends in seamlessly with your smile. Dental crowns are usually made from metal or porcelain but can also be made from composite resin materials. Porcelain crowns are highly recommended because they can be closely matched to the color of the patient’s teeth. Metal crowns are seldom used today since they do not look natural and can wear down adjacent teeth over time due to the metal being more complex and rigid than natural teeth. Resin composite crowns are also rarely used because they are prone to fractures and chipping.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are false teeth that fill the gaps where one or more teeth are missing. They also help prevent your teeth from shifting, which can affect your bite and cause even more problems down the road. Our dentist places a bridge by first taking an impression of your mouth. They will then send the impression to a lab, where your customized bridge is made. Finally, our dentist places the crown components of your new dental appliance over the two healthy teeth surrounding the gap left by the missing tooth. In doing so, the artificial pontic tooth or teeth fused with a metal or porcelain framework to these surrounding teeth bridges the forementioned gap.
Why Get a Crown or a Bridge?
While a crown covers an entire individual tooth, a bridge is composed of crowns fused to fill a gap left by one or more missing teeth. Though each is restorative, they differ in how they are designed and placed in the mouth. A crown is placed directly over the tooth that needs protection, whereas the bridge is typically anchored to the teeth on either side of the gap.
When a tooth is cracked or badly decayed, a crown is one option that our dentist may recommend. Crowns are most recommended when a large cavity threatens the health of a tooth due to decay. They are also often chosen for protecting a tooth after a root canal treatment.
On the other hand, bridges are recommended when a patient is missing between one and three teeth, and orthodontics cannot close the space alone.
Visit Dental Images of Gwinnett at 916 Lawrenceville Hwy #201, Lawrenceville, GA 30046, or call (770) 746-7233 to learn more about crowns and bridges. We use the best materials available to make custom dental crowns and bridges to ensure the best restoration for your damaged smile.
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