Porcelain Crowns and Bridges

Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable devices such as dentures, which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.

What is a crown?

A crown is an artificial tooth that covers your natural tooth to enhance its look. A crown can repair a tooth that is chipped, cracked, misshaped, or even stained. Some crowns can be put on in just one appointment, while in some cases it takes two appointments.

How do I know if I need a crown?

When your tooth is damaged beyond repair, a dental crown can cover and stabilize it so that you don’t require an extraction.

Signs that you may need a crown include:

• Cracked, chipped, or broken teeth
• Worn teeth
• Stained teeth
• Old, broken, or painful fillings
• Functional issues with your teeth
• Bite problems

Bridges

A bridge may be recommended if you’re missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges.

Contact us at Jacaranda Dental today to learn more about our crowns and bridges.