I love that my family dentist is tech-savvy. It's so easy to book a dentist on his smartphone app if I have a tooth problem or if anyone in my family needs emergency problems (I can choose either my normal dentist or another dentist in his practise depending on availability). He also has some great cameras so that we can see exactly what is going on during treatment. I prefer not to see this, but my kids love to be able to see the dentist using his specialised tools to clean and repair their teeth. This blog has some tips on finding a tech-savvy dentist to help give your family the best possible dental care.
If you have teeth that are slightly damaged or chipped, it may be possible to fix them through a minor dental bonding treatment or something similar. However, if your teeth have been more seriously damaged, a crown or bridge might be the best solution.
So, what are crowns and bridges and which option might be best for you? Read on for a helpful overview.
Dental crowns
Crowns are also known more colloquially as 'caps'. A crown is a tooth-shaped cover that is designed to fit over the top of a single, damaged tooth. Sometimes crowns are used for cosmetic purposes to hide a tooth that is badly discoloured or stained. Crowns are usually only an option if a single tooth is affected, rather than a whole group.
Your dentist will fit the crown so that it covers the whole part of the tooth that is above the gum line, preserving the tooth roots.
Crowns are custom-made to fit a patient's teeth. The materials used for making crowns can be dental porcelain, gold alloy, or porcelain fused to metal. Well-fabricated and correctly fitted crowns look and function in the same way as your natural teeth. Crowns are designed to be permanent, although over time they can come off and require refitting.
Caring for crowns is simple; you brush and floss in exactly the same way as you would your natural teeth.
Dental bridgework
If you lose a tooth completely, your dentist may recommend bridgework. Bridgework is often suggested as a more cost-effective solution to missing teeth than implants.
A bridge can be used to replace a missing tooth where a crown is unsuitable as there is nothing to attach it to. A bridge (or pontic) needs healthy teeth to be in situ either side of the missing tooth.
The teeth to which is going to be attached are prepared for crowning. A bridge is then crafted in the exact shape of all three teeth – the two either side of the gap and the missing tooth itself. This requires that you attend the dentist for the bridge to be measured and then again to have it fitted.
The bridge unit is attached securely to the prepared teeth that abut the gap, effectively filling in the space with a false tooth and blending it exactly with the two on either side. Bridges can be used to fill larger gaps where more than one tooth is missing.
For more information on solutions to missing or damaged teeth, have a chat with a dentist who will recommend the most suitable treatment for your individual situation.
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