Crowns and Bridges

Dental crowns and bridges are widely used restorations to treat damaged, misshapen, worn out and missing teeth. They are usually made from porcelain and closely match the appearance of the natural teeth, which is why they are highly preferred for teeth restorations.

Our team has treated several patients who required restorations due to various issues. At W & B Dental, we use only the best quality restorations made from dental grade ceramic. This makes our practice one of the most efficient and sought-after ones in Walnut Creek, CA.

When and how are crowns used?

Crowns can be used as restorations in the following cases:

• Worn out teeth: The teeth undergo normal wear as we age. However, in certain cases, they wear excessively due to teeth grinding, which makes them look shorter than they naturally are. Such teeth can be restored using crowns to their normal shape and length.
  
• Damaged teeth: Teeth may chip or crack when the patient receives a hard blow to the mouth during external trauma. This leaves a displeasing appearance on them and can potentially lead to infections of the pulp when exposed to bacteria. Such teeth can be fixed using crowns.
• Discolored teeth: This is a very rare usage or crowns, but in extreme cases of discoloration, a crown can be used to cover a badly stained tooth and improve its appearance.
• Root Canal:A tooth that undergoes a root canal therapy is usually weak due to lack of nutrition, which could cause it to crumble under excessive forces. It can be strengthened using a crown.
• Excessively spaced teeth: This is a form of malocclusion, called spacing. Crowns increase the volume of the teeth and help to reduce the spacing between adjacent teeth.

The teeth are cleaned thoroughly prior to the procedure. The tooth receiving the crown should be prepared before taking molds and scans. For this, a thin layer of enamel will be removed to make space for the crown on the tooth. Accurate dimensions are taken and sent to a dental laboratory for fabricating the crown. In case of same-day CEREC crowns, they will be milled out in a matter of a few minutes using CAD/CAM technology. The crown will then be placed on the tooth and checked for perfect fit and comfort before permanently bonding it to the tooth. It will be polished if required.

Why should you replace a missing tooth with a bridge?

Dental bridges are perhaps the most popular solution to a missing tooth. Here are some of their advantages:

• They restore the aesthetics of the smile.
• They are strong and durable, which helps the patient to bite and chew food like normal.
• They look just like natural teeth, which makes them hard to distinguish from other teeth.
• They fill the gap left by a missing tooth, which prevents the drifting of the remaining teeth from their positions.

The procedure for getting a bridge is almost similar to that of a crown. Scans and X-rays will be taken to determine the exact dimensions and contour of the tooth required. The bridge would be coupled with two crowns on either side to provide the required anchorage. Once checked for perfect positioning and fit, it will firmly be fixed in position using dental adhesives.

Call us at (925) 933-0677 or schedule an online appointment to know more about crowns and bridges.