Dental Crowns & Bridges
Dentistry is an art as well as a science. Dental crowns offer a perfect example. A dental crown or “cap” is a covering that fits over a damaged, decayed or unattractive tooth. It can even replace a tooth entirely as part of dental bridgework.
A crown completely covers a tooth above the gum line. This is in contrast to a dental veneer, which only covers a tooth’s front surface. Dental veneers also need natural tooth structure to support it. A crown would be used if a tooth is missing a significant amount of structure above the gum line.
Crowns strengthen damaged teeth. This allows them to function normally again. Most crowns today are crafted from high-tech porcelains (dental ceramics). These are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth. Crowns can even be designed to improve upon a tooth’s original appearance.
There are other materials besides porcelain that we can use to make dental crowns. Depending on what qualities are most important another material could better suit your needs. For durability, cast gold can’t be beat. However, this is not always the most aesthetic choice – especially towards the front of the mouth.
Other possibilities include porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (PFM). PMF crown’s have a metal interior for strength and a porcelain exterior for a more natural appearance. All-porcelain crowns with zirconia, are the strongest ceramic. We would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of these various options with you.
Crowning Or Capping A Tooth
Crowning or capping a tooth will usually take two to three visits. At the first visit, your tooth is prepared to receive its new crown. First, it is shaped to fit inside the new covering. This will be involve some drilling to give the tooth a uniform shape. The tooth and the surrounding area will be numbed beforehand. If there is very little tooth structure left to begin with, the tooth may have to be built up with filling material, rather than filed down, to support the crown.
After the tooth is prepared, impression of your teeth are taken, either digitally or with reliable, putty-like impression materials, and sent to the dental laboratory. There, the impressions will be highly skilled lab technicians, who will ensure that your new crown is designed to enhance your smile and function well within your bite.
Before you leave the office, a temporary crown will be attached to your tooth to protect it until the permanent crown is ready. At the second visit, your permanent crown will be attached to your tooth with either a resin that hardens when exposed to a special light source, or a type of permanent cement.
Creating A Bridge
Crowns can also be used to create a lifelike replacement for a missing tooth. This is done with bridgework, which spans the space of the missing tooth and requires at least three crowns. Two of those crowns will be placed over healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth; these healthy teeth are referred to as abutment teeth. The two crowned abutment teeth become supports for a third crown placed in between them; that third crown is referred to as a pontic.
If more than one tooth is missing, more crowns will be needed to bridge the gap in between the abutment teeth. The number of abutment teeth necessary to replace missing teeth is influenced by the number of missing teeth, the size and length of the abutment tooth roots, the amount of bone support each abutment tooth has, as well as where in the mouth the missing tooth is located.
For example, if you have three missing teeth, four abutment teeth may be necessary, thereby creating a seven-tooth bridge. Engineering and designing of the bridge requires an understanding of how to replace teeth, as well as the biology of the supporting gum and bone tissue.
Caring For Your Crowns & Bridgework
Crowns and bridgework require the same conscientious care as your natural teeth. Be sure to brush and floss between all of your teeth – restored and natural – every day to reduce the buildup of dental plaque. When you have crowns, it is even more important to maintain your regular schedule of cleaning at the dental office. Avoid using your teeth as tools (to open packages, for example). If you have a grinding habit, wearing a nightguard would be a good idea to protect your teeth and your investment.
