Crowns & Bridges

Understanding Dental Crowns

If your tooth is missing part of its structure, your dentist at Saratoga Dentistry may recommend placing a crown on top of it. The crown will cover the remainder of your tooth structure like a cap. Before placing the crown, your dentist shapes and prepares your tooth to ensure an excellent fit. Deep decay and protection of a tooth after a root canal are the most common reasons we recommend a crown.

A dental crown protects remaining tooth structure, improves the appearance of your smile, and restores your mouth to full function. For back teeth, our dentist will use a tooth-colored or metal ceramic. We understand, of course, that most people are more concerned about front teeth that show every time they smile. In such cases, we always recommend a tooth-colored ceramic material for your crown. You may also need a crown to support a clasp on a partial denture, or if a tooth is very worn.

When would a crown be used?

A tooth crown may be recommended to:

*Replace a large filling when only minimal tooth structure remains
*Prevent a weak tooth from fracturing
*Restore a fractured tooth
*Attach a bridge
*Cover a dental implant
*Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
*Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

Other benefits crowns and bridges offer our patients include

*Reducing pain and sensitivity to heat and cold when eating and drinking
*Maintaining proper alignment of the teeth
*Preventing facial sagging
*Ensuring health of jaw joints

What to Expect with a Dental Bridge

A bridge consists of two or more crowns that your dentist joins to a replacement tooth. If you’re missing a single tooth or consecutive teeth on the same arch, a dental bridge is a popular replacement option. Your dentist attaches the supporting hardware to each of the neighboring teeth to hold the replacement teeth in place. You may need a dental implant to provide support to the dental bridge for back teeth, or in cases where the surrounding teeth are missing or not strong enough to provide needed support.

Dental crowns and bridges replace the decayed part of tooth structure, or hold a replacement tooth, such as an implant, in place when it is not possible to save the original tooth. Dental decay and gum disease are among the most common reasons for tooth loss, and crowns and bridges are two of the most common forms of restorative dentistry.

What if the tooth can’t be saved?

Gum disease and decay may lead to the need to extract a tooth if the damage is too extensive and the decay too advanced. These conditions can also cause your teeth to become weak and worn. In such instances, it is imperative to replace the missing structure of the tooth to restore chewing ability, as well as aesthetics, as in the case of anterior (front) teeth.

If you are missing one or more teeth and want a permanent replacement solution, consider getting a dental implant. An implant crown is a composite reproduction of the lost tooth that is placed over a dental implant or post. The implant crown replicates the original tooth in shape, size, strength, and appearance. When the crown is adhered into place, it will fully cover the entire visible portion of the dental implant.

If you live in Saratoga, Saratoga Woods, Cupertino, Los Gatos or the West San Jose area, contact us here at Saratoga Dentistry for more information, or to make an appointment to discuss scheduling a comprehensive exam or getting a second opinion.