What are crowns and bridges?
Crowns and bridges are custom dental restorations that replace or repair missing or damaged teeth. Though they’re are often mentioned together, crowns and bridges are actually two different things:
Crowns
A crown is a synthetic cap that covers a damaged or severely decaying tooth. Once bonded in place, it restores the tooth to its near-original shape and size, making daily activities like biting and chewing much easier.
Bridges
A bridge is a restoration that fills a gap in your smile. By replacing one (or several) teeth in a row, you can significantly lower the risk of more serious oral health problems like gum recession, bone loss, and tilting or shifting of teeth.
Our team also offers porcelain laminates:
Porcelain laminates
Laminates (or veneers) are thin shells of porcelain bonded to your natural teeth. They cover up minor oral imperfections like stains, fractures, or unusually shaped teeth.
What does getting crowns and bridges involve?
At Adler Dental Group, our team provides dental restorations to people of all ages:
Crowns
Getting a crown usually takes two appointments.
First, we conduct an oral exam and take X-rays. After assessing your affected tooth, we administer a local anesthetic and remove a thin layer of enamel from the top and sides of your tooth. Then, we take impressions of the tooth to create your custom crown. You’re given a temporary crown to wear between visits.
Your dentist may use a computer-aided design program to create your custom crown. Then, we’ll upload your design to a milling machine or send them to a lab that manufactures it from a block of ceramic. When the crown is created, you return to the office, and we bond the crown on top of your damaged or decaying tooth.
Bridges
Getting a dental bridge takes two appointments. First, we conduct an oral exam and take X-rays. Then, we administer a local anesthetic and remove a thin layer of enamel from the two healthy teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. After preparing your teeth, we take impressions and send them to a dental laboratory, and fabricate a temporary bridge for you to use between visits.
The laboratory uses your impressions to create a custom dental bridge. Once the lab finishes your restoration, you return to Adler Dental Group, and our team bonds it in place.
How long do crowns and bridges last?
Crowns and bridges usually last many years, but it’s possible to extend their lifespan with good oral hygiene. Our team at Adler Dental Group recommends brushing and flossing daily and visiting the office two times a year for an oral exam and professional cleaning.
To prevent damage to your restorations, wear a nightguard if you grind your teeth or have TMJ. You might also want to wear a mouthguard if you play contact sports like football, rugby, or hockey.
To learn more about crowns and bridges, make an appointment at Adler Dental Group by calling the office to speak with a team member or using the online booking tool.
