Crowns, Bridges, and Dentures
Dental crowns, bridges, and dentures are all used restore your smile. Crowns are used then your natural tooth is still in place to protect and cover a tooth that is damaged or irregular. They are used to restore and protect your teeth by covering imperfections and damaged teeth as well as preventing oral health issues from progressing. This allows patients to maintain a natural smile. Dental bridges and dentures come in when a tooth is missing and needs to be less noticable.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns allow you to achieve a stronger smile that still looks natural, regardless of damaged teeth. They are typically made out of porcelain which looks identical to natural teeth. Because porcelain reflects light in much the same way your natural teeth do, it is next to impossible to tell the difference between your teeth and your crowns. Dental crowns are used to cover teeth with a variety of issues including teeth that are:
• Broken
• Contain large fillings
• Discolored
• Experience decay
• Misshapen
• Worn down
A dental crown is effectively a prosthetic that fits over a visible part of your tooth. This mimics the shape and size of your original tooth while strengthening and removing damage.
Dental Bridge Restorations
A dental bridge is different from a crown in that its purpose is not to cover a damaged tooth, but to bridge the gap of a missing tooth. It bridges together two crowns to replace missing teeth while also covering multiple teeth that have damage.
Depending on your unique situation, dental crowns or dental implants are placed on each side of the missing tooth with a replacement porcelain bridge to imitate an existing tooth. The dental bridge is so secure that these porcelain teeth will not be able to shift or slide and can be fully used as natural teeth.
These bridges look and feel natural because they are made out of porcelain which reflects light the same as a real tooth. They are strong enough to act as real teeth, and unlike dentures, they can be cleaned without having to remove them. They are also more affordable than implants.
Dentures
Dentures are similar to bridges in that they are realistic replacement teeth used to mask missing teeth. However, unlike bridges and crowns, dentures are removeable. Depending on how many teeth need to be replaced, you may need partial dentures or full dentures. If all the natural teeth have been removed, full dentures are a full set of teeth. If you still have some natural teeth, partial dentures are used to fill in where permanent teeth have been removed. Dentures should be cared for just like natural teeth. They should be brushed every day, and kept moist when not in use. Even with full dentures, you should still make sure you are keeping your gums and tongue clean as well as the dentures.
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