When looking at information about dental treatments, dental crowns and bridges are mentioned rather often. What is occasionally missing, however, is important information about when these are chosen as the best course of action for a variety of dental problems. With this in mind, here are some concise answers to the key questions about crowns and bridges.
A dental crown is quite simply a well-fitting cover, or cap, over the tooth that is in need of treatment. Crowns are made from many materials, but the most common examples are porcelain, metal alloys or a composite resin. These are resilient, long-lasting materials chosen based on the tooth’s needs.
Dental crowns are manufactured in a highly specialized process. They must perfectly fit the tooth in question, so the first step in making a crown is the creation of an impression or model of the tooth by a dentist.
A crown is often chosen as the best treatment for teeth that need greater protection than is provided by more common treatments, such as fillings. According to the American Dental Association, crowns are fitted for several dental issues like a cavity too large for a filling, teeth needing complete protection following a root canal, teeth with large cracks or other wear that are at risk of infection or further damage.
Crowns make the best choice for teeth that have not been sufficiently protected by previous treatments and can make the difference when it comes to a great smile.
Bridges are a treatment used in conjunction with dental crowns to restore a smile. Bridges are two or more dental crowns with a false tooth, or teeth, anchored between them. They are supported in the mouth both by the anchoring crowns, called abutments, and the natural teeth which are still present. The false tooth between the bridges is called the pontic.
There are several types of bridges — a traditional bridge, which is simply the supporting crowns and the pontic in the middle. There are also cantilever bridges, a less common form used when there are only supportive natural teeth on one side of the bridge.
Since a bridge consists of supporting crowns and a false tooth, a bridge is the treatment used when a tooth is missing. The bridge is fitted in the smile where a gap is present, with the crowns being placed on either side of the gap and the pontic being placed in the space where the tooth is missing. A dentist is likely to recommend a bridge if the teeth around the site of the missing tooth are healthy enough either to support the abutment crowns or when dental implants can be fitted as abutments in the mouth where supporting teeth are not present or ideal for the treatment.
A professionally fitted bridge can fill out a smile and improve everything from chewing to cosmetic appearance for years to come. Crowns and bridges can change a smile for the better; so why keep waiting?
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