Taking care of your teeth is extremely important but what do you do when you need to have some more extensive work done to keep your pearly whites looking their best? Some common dental work that happens in our Alpharetta office is dental crowns and bridges.
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that goes over a damaged tooth. This cap is designed to cover the tooth completely to not only give you back the original shape of the tooth, if needed but also to give you more strength for that tooth and cover up any decayed areas. The cap is designed to look like your original tooth and once it is ready to be put in place, it is then cemented so that there is little risk that it will come out. Once it is in place, you should not be able to see any tooth above the gum line. A dental crown can be made of a variety of materials including stainless steel, metal, ceramic, or resin. The look can be one that is as close to your natural tooth color or if it could be a metal look. A dental crown can be used for a lot of reasons including:
- Protect a weak or damaged tooth
- Restore a tooth that is damaged
- Provide support for a damaged tooth
- Assist withholding a dental bridge in place
- Assist with the cosmetic aspect of the teeth
What is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is slightly different because it is a fixed partial denture that is used to replace a missing tooth. This is done by joining the bridge to adjacent teeth or implants. The dental bridge is a permanent fixture once it has been attached and it is designed to bridge the gap that is created by a missing tooth or in some cases, missing teeth. A dental bridge is made up of two dental crowns on each side of the bridge and these crowns are attached on top of those teeth. In between these crowns is the tooth or teeth that are used to replace the missing tooth or teeth. These teeth in the middle are called pontics and the crowns are called abutment teeth. Dental bridges can be used for a lot of reasons including:
- Restore a smile
- Allow you to properly speak and eat
- Assist with maintaining your face shape
- Helps to distribute your bite properly
- Reduce the risk of your teeth shifting due to excess space in the mouth
What Missing Teeth Can Do To You and Your Smile
No matter what reason has caused you to lose a tooth/teeth, if you do not see a dentist for treatment quickly, you could easily have some other issues on your hands. When you lose a tooth or teeth, there can be some major impacts to your mouth. Your remaining teeth could start to shift due to the extra space in your mouth, your tooth on the opposite side may be used more frequently and could cause an issue with your bite, you could develop TMJ and deal with more consistent pain, you could develop abnormal tooth wear patterns, and you have an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Because of these issues, you want to make sure you get some relief sooner rather than later. The more quickly you can replace your missing teeth, the better your overall mouth health will be.
How We Can Help
There is no reason to be embarrassed when something like this happens. We see it all the time and know-how to get your teeth back to their original health. We will take a look at your teeth in our dental office and will develop a plan with you that will get you back out there and confident in no time at all.
Missing teeth can really impact not only your smile but also your confidence. Luckily, we have the tools and technology to restore your smile to the one you love so you can live your life without fear that your teeth are holding you back. Contact our dental office today to make an appointment and get your smile back.
