Crowns and Bridges – Strengthening Your Teeth For a Greater Future

At Chinook Mall Family Dental our Crowns and Bridges are placed for both Functional and Cosmetic purposes.

Reinforcing and protecting

When a tooth is heavily decayed, it is more likely to fracture and lose considerable tooth substance. Therefore, a filling may not be strong enough to replace the lost tooth substance. A crown protects the base of your tooth and prevents it from breaking again. The greater risk of having a heavily filled tooth without a crown is that a fracture line may go below the margin of the gum which makes restoration more difficult or near impossible.

Crown & Bridges used for cosmetic reasons

They may be placed to cover and repair mis-shaped, poorly aligned, fractured, discolored teeth, stained, cracked, chipped or uneven teeth. Crowns may be made from several different materials, gold and porcelain being the most commonly used types

Bridge to Replace missing teeth

Sometimes when a single small tooth is lost in the mouth, a simple bridge can be made which has ‘wings’ that are attached to the adjacent teeth which support the missing tooth in the middle. A bridge is an alternative way to replace lost teeth without the use of a denture or dental implant. Basically a false tooth is held in place by being attached to a tooth next door. The adjacent teeth have to be prepared in a similar way to a crown in order to accept and support the bridge.

What is a crown made out of?

Permanent crowns can be made from stainless steel, all metal, porcelain fused-to-metal, all resin, or all ceramic. Stainless steel crowns are prefabricated crowns that are used on permanent teeth primarily as a temporary measure.

Preparing For A Crown

Preparing a tooth for a crown generally requires two visits to your dentist. The initial visit involves examining and preparing the tooth and the second involves the placement of the crown.During the first visit, your dentist may take X-rays to examine the roots of the tooth and its surrounding bone to ensure there is no decay or risk of infection. They will then inject a local anesthetic to numb the area before filing the tooth to make room for the crown.Once the tooth has been reshaped, the dentist will make an impression of the tooth with paste or putty. This impression will be the model of your crown, which will be made within 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, your tooth will be fitted with a temporary crown to protect the prepared tooth.At your second visit, your dentist will remove your temporary crown and cement your permanent crown into place, ensuring the fit and color is suitable.

How Long do Crowns and Bridges Last?

While crowns and bridges can last a lifetime, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown or bridge is to practice good oral hygiene. A bridge can lose its support if the teeth or bone holding it in place are damaged by dental disease. Keep your gums and teeth healthy by Brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing daily. Also see your dentist and hygienist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings.

Oral Care Tips for Bridges and Crowns

While crowns and bridges can last a lifetime, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown is to practice good oral hygiene. Our South Calgary Dental Team suggests the following-

• Keep your gums and teeth healthy by brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing daily
• See your dentist or hygienist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings
• To prevent damage to your new crown or bridge, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects

Please visit our services page for more information on Bridges and Crowns and Contact Us to book an appointment for a consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.