Dental Crowns
A dental crown, or a cap as it is often referred to, is a restoration that can be used for numerous purposes. A dental crown is most frequently recommended when a tooth is significantly damaged or decayed. The crown is custom made to fit perfectly over the entire tooth in order to restore the tooth to its original shape, size, and function. Dental crowns can be made of gold, porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal. Porcelain crowns are the most popular because they match the natural color and appearance of your teeth. Over the last several years, the porcelain utilized for crowns has significantly increased in strength, which has made the porcelain crowns not only aesthetic but long-lasting as well. Our dentist will work with you to determine which dental crown is perfect for your smile.
Besides damaged or decayed teeth, crowns can also be used for a number of other restorative and aesthetic purposes, including:
- Protecting a tooth after root canal treatment
- Covering a dental implant to improve functionality and aesthetics
- Enhancing the beauty of your smile
- Improving and strengthening a chipped or weakened tooth
- Improving the aesthetics of stained teeth
- Improving the aesthetics of spaces or gaps in teeth
- Giving support to a tooth with a large filling that lacks proper tooth structure
To find out whether a dental crown is recommended for you, give our office a call today!
Dental Bridge
The American Dental Association reports that the average adult, between 20 and 64 years old, has three decayed or missing teeth. If you are missing one tooth or several teeth, we may recommend a dental bridge to restore your smile and function. A bridge is a fixed dental restoration, which means it cannot be removed. This is often times the reason patients choose a bridge over a removable partial denture. The dental bridge is anchored in place through the use of two or more dental crowns. The bridge is custom made to fit your teeth and your smile and is placed on the teeth or dental implants adjacent to the space left by the missing tooth or teeth. These crowns hold the artificial tooth in place to restore your smile and functionality, and you can have full confidence that your bridge will not shift or come loose. Completing the dental bridge typically takes only two dental visits over a span of two short weeks. Dental bridges are designed to last for many years and to restore the function, beauty, and health of your smile.
Our dentist may recommend a dental bridge for the following reasons:
- Dramatically improving your ability to speak, eat, and chew
- Alleviating excess stress on your bite
- Improving the shape, contours, and volume of your face
- Replacing an unwanted removable partial denture
- Preventing your remaining natural teeth from moving out of position
- Improving your confidence in your smile
- Enhancing the appearance of your smile
With your help, we will help you determine whether a custom dental bridge is the right choice for restoring your smile after tooth loss. For more information, call or visit us today. We look forward to hearing from you!
Implant-Supported Bridges
Implant-supported bridges are an excellent option, and often times the best option, for replacing missing teeth throughout the mouth. They can be used when you have more than one missing tooth. Instead of being supported by natural teeth or metal frameworks, these bridges are supported by dental implants. Often times, but not always, one implant is placed for every missing tooth, and the implants hold the bridge in place.
Due to these bridges being secured by implants, they feel very secure and comfortable, similar to the natural teeth they replaced. A downside is that two surgeries are required to place the implants. The first surgery is to place the implants and the second is to prepare and place the bridge. Therefore, expect to wait approximately five months to get your completed implant-supported bridge. It’s worth noting that every case is unique and all the options can be discussed between you and your dentist.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are permanent, predictable, and extremely stable tooth replacements that can be used in many situations. The success rate of dental implants has been reported by scientific literature as 98% according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. They can replace one missing tooth, several missing teeth, or every tooth in the mouth. They are a great way to restore your smile to optimal health, function, and appearance. The dental implant post, which is a very small screw made out of a specially coated titanium, is surgically placed at the site of the missing tooth. This replaces the root of the missing tooth and ensures that your dental restoration is stable. A healing period is then necessary to ensure the bone has properly healed around the post. After this healing period, our dentist will place the dental implant crown, or replacement tooth, on top of the implant post. The crown is specially made for that particular implant and location in the mouth. Our dentist has many shades to choose from for the custom made final restoration to ensure you get an excellent aesthetic result. With proper care, a dental implant can last a lifetime. Call us today if you are interested in learning more and if dental implants are right for you!
Five facts about dental implants:
- Dental implants are currently the only dental restoration that preserves natural bone, and actually helps to stimulate bone growth. This allows for an extremely strong restoration.
- In 1951, a group of dentists who were successfully placing dental implants formed the AAID – American Academy of Implant Dentistry – to share their knowledge on the practice of implantology. AAID is the first professional organization in the world dedicated to advancing implant dentistry. AAID is still the leading organization in implant dentistry today.
- In 1952, Swedish orthopedic surgeon P.I. Branemark discovered that titanium naturally fuses with bone. This caused him to eventually switch his research focus from the knee and hip to the mouth.
- Approximately 3 million people in the United States have implants. This number is growing by approximately 500,000 every year.
