A healthy smile is a beautiful smile. However, cracked, decayed, missing or chipped teeth can leave you feeling less than your best. Dental crowns and bridges are the most popular restorative dentistry procedures for restoring missing or damaged teeth. If you are considering dental crowns or bridges in Waterloo, below is everything you need to know including the differences between them, advantages, limitations and suitability for your needs and objectives.
What Is A Dental Crown?
Crowns are caps placed on damaged or artificially implanted teeth. Crowns are used individually on each tooth and cover a significant part of the tooth above the gums. The caps are made from a hard material such as porcelain or a combination of metal and porcelain and they are crafted to look and feel like your natural teeth. Dr. Husain, your dentist in Waterloo might recommend dental crowns for the following reasons;
- Holding together a severely broken, cracked or fractured tooth rather than extracting it.
- Support teeth with significantly large fillings or multiple fillings
- To protect a tooth after a root canal treatment
- Cover a dental implant for durability
- To restore the aesthetics and function of worn out teeth
- To improve the appearance of your smile
Dental crowns are a sound restorative solution that can last for many years helping fix alignment, shape and appearance issues. They can also make chewing easier. When you decide to get a dental crown at Waterloo Smiles, we;
- Match the crown to your natural teeth in color and appearance
- Ensure that your crown fits properly and is correctly positioned so it is strong and can last for longer.
What Is A Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a customized prosthetic replacement used to fill the space where one or multiple teeth are missing. Dental bridges restore the biting mechanism and preserve the shape of the face. They can be made of ceramics, metal or a combination of the two- just like crowns. At Waterloo Smiles, we discuss the material options available to you and recommend what is best suited for your smile and long term oral health.
The advantages of using dental bridges include;
- They provide a quick and satisfying treatment that restores your natural smile so you can eat normally – usually can get a dental bridge done in 2 weeks time
- Dental Bridges are small, lightweight and thus make eating easier – depending on how many teeth are being replaced
- They maintain the shape of your face and the lip line
- They restore your smile, pronunciation, speech and youthful looks
- Dental bridges also anchor adjoining teeth and limit their movement
- They are comfortable and easy to adapt to
- Dental Bridges distribute the biting force evenly across the entire tooth structure and thus reduce strain
With proper care, dental Bridges can last many years.
The Process Of Getting A Dental Crowns And Dental Bridges In Waterloo
Having a dental bridge or crown installed at Waterloo Smiles typically requires two visits. On your first visit, we will perform a thorough oral examination to establish the condition of your teeth and gums. We will also explore all available solutions to determine whether a dental bridge or crown meets your desired objectives and expectations. The dentist will then prepare the tooth/teeth by removing a small portion of the damaged or cracked areas so that the bridge or crown can fit over it. We will then take a detailed impression of the tooth/teeth and send it to a lab for you crown or bridge to be made. A temporary crown or bridge would be placed with temporary dental cement to cover and protect them before the second appointment.
During your second appointment the temporaries would be removed and then we will place the dental bridge or crown on your teeth using a bonding adhesive or clips.
Caring for Your Dental Crowns and Bridges
Dental crowns and bridges are installed in such a way that allows you to chew, talk, brush, and floss like you normally would with natural teeth. That said, how well you take care of your dental crowns and bridges will determine how long they last. However, we recommend using a floss threader when you have a dental bridge as it gets between the teeth and under the prosthetic for complete cleaning. Additionally, don’t forget to visit us at Waterloo Smiles regularly and avoid hard foods so you can get the most out of your dental crowns and bridges.
Helping You Restore Your Smile with Dental Crowns and Bridges In Waterloo
If you are thinking about replacing your damaged or missing teeth, we are crown and bridge experts at Waterloo smiles and can certainly help. Get in touch with our team today to find out more about how we can help you regain your happy and healthy smile.