Crowns And Bridges

Crowns & Bridges Q & A

What is a crown?

A crown is an artificial tooth cap that covers up your entire tooth surface above the gum line. Made from an impression of your tooth that needs restoration, a crown feels and functions just like your natural tooth once your dentist bonds it to the tooth.

Crowns come in a variety of materials, like silver amalgam and cast gold, but porcelain has become one of the most popular materials due to its visual similarity to your natural tooth enamel. With a porcelain crown, your restoration will look just like your natural tooth.

What purpose does a crown serve?

Crowns restore the strength, structure, and appearance of your tooth cap, making them an excellent solution for:

• Repairing broken or fractured teeth
• Enhancing the appearance of a misshapen or unsightly tooth
• Restoring a tooth that’s decayed or has too large a filling

Plainsboro Family Dentistry also fits you with a crown after a root canal treatment to strengthen your tooth and improve its structural integrity. You may also use a crown for cosmetic reasons, such as to cover a discolored tooth.

What is a bridge?

A bridge is a fixed oral appliance that replaces a missing tooth or teeth. There are a few different types of bridges that might be suitable for your tooth replacement, depending on whether or not your abutment teeth (the ones next to your missing tooth) can support crowns.

Traditional bridge

If both of your abutment teeth can support crowns, Plainsboro Family Dentistry might recommend a traditional bridge, which consists of a fake tooth (pontic) that’s attached to crowns on either side. Your dentist bonds the crowns to your abutment teeth and they support the pontic as it bridges the gap between your teeth.

Cantilever bridge

If you only have one abutment tooth that can support a crown, Plainsboro Family Dentistry might recommend a cantilever bridge, which has a pontic that’s attached to only one crown.

Maryland bridge

If your abutment teeth can’t support a crown at all, you can replace your tooth with a Maryland bridge, which attaches to your abutment teeth with a framework that bonds to the back of your abutment teeth.

What are the steps in getting crowns and bridges?

Crowns and bridges typically require two or more visits to Plainsboro Family Dentistry. During your first visit, your dentist numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic, then shaves some enamel from any of your teeth that are going to receive crowns.

After preparing your teeth, your dentist takes an impression of your mouth and sends that impression to an offsite dental laboratory that fabricates your crown or bridge. You wear a temporary restoration for a week or so while you wait for your permanent crown or bridge to come back.

When your permanent restoration is ready, you come back to Plainsboro Family Dentistry to have it bonded to your tooth, and you leave with a beautifully restored smile.

Schedule your appointment with Plainsboro Family Dentistry by calling the office or booking online, and get started on your crown or bridge today.