Crowns & Bridges

Crowns

A crown is a fixed dental restoration that covers a tooth to restore it to its normal shape, size and color. These protect and strengthen the teeth .you may need a dental crown or bridge for one or more of following reasons-

• One or more teeth has broken or fractured
• To enhance the cosmetic appeal of your smile
• Teeth have large amounts of decay
• To replace a large or fractured filling
• After a root canal

While the crown protects your remaining tooth from further decay, you must protect the base of the crown from bacterial growth and gum disease. Regular brushing and flossing as you do for your natural teeth will ensure that your crown will be in place for years.

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Bridges

A bridge is a dental appliance that replaces one or more natural missing teeth, thereby “bridging” the space between two teeth. If the space is left unfilled, it can cause the surrounding teeth to drift out of position and can cause teeth and gums to become more susceptible to tooth decayand gum disease that can cause further tooth loss.

Unlike removable partial dentures, fixed bridges cannot be taken out of the mouth by the patient.

Fixed bridges can :

• Correct an altered bite/distribute the chewing forces evely
• Improve your chewing ability and speech.
• Maintain shape of your face and safeguard your appearance

Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position

There are several different types of crowns and bridges,depending on your needs.your dentist will decide which type of crown should be an advantage to give.

Different materials of crown /bridges are-

Zirconia crown - the esthetic effects alone of a zirconia crown should be the biggest advantage it can give.these are typically chosen for the front teeth to enhance your appearance. Zirconia gives a wide range of shades that will match to your nearby natural teeth .the next benefit of these are the strength, which helps us to choose zirconia for posterior teeth (the teeth you chew with).

The benefits of zirconia-

• Extraordinarily tough
• Can withstand wear and tear
• Translucent enough to be similar to natural teeth
• Less tooth removal
• No metal fuse
• Modifiable size , shape and color
• Biocompatible

PFM/Porcelain fused to metal-

• Great durability
• Proper fit
• Esthetic appeal

Made of both metal and ceramic/porcelain. First a metal shell is fabricated to fit over the tooth , then a porcelain veneer is fused to the metal shell. The metal substructure provides adequate strength, while the porcelain helps form the overall shape of the crown and give it white, natural – looking appearance.

Full metal - it provides a good strength and durability, but lacks esthetics due to its metallic appearance. It is extremely durable ,well suited for molars in patients who clench and grind their teeth habitually.