What Are Dental Crowns and Bridges: Overview and Workings

Dental crowns and bridges are very popular in the dental world to restore a tooth or teeth to their optimal chewing function. Opting for dental crowns and bridges can be beneficial if you are looking for a missing tooth replacement.

In this article, we will focus on the functions of crowns and bridges to better understand their importance. You will also find the advantages and disadvantages mentioned in detail here.

A dental crown is a cover that your dentist puts on your tooth to protect it from infection and decay in the future. It restores your tooth to its healthy structure. Each crown covers only one single tooth. However, a dental crown can be made of porcelain, resin, ceramics, and metal.

You may require a dental crown for several reasons, such as:

• Restore a broken tooth or damaged tooth.
• Crowns cover and support your tooth, a large dental filling.
• This procedure protects a weak tooth from decaying or breaking and tries to support your tooth together in case they are cracked.
• If you have discoloured teeth, dental crowns are ideal as they cover the teeth effectively.
• It holds and covers a dental bridge and implant in place. Additionally, dental crowns cover your tooth if you have recently undergone a root canal procedure.

• Through the dental crown process, a dentist tries to cap your damaged and decayed tooth, which restores the shape, appearance, and size of your teeth.
• Your dentist will conduct a dental implant upon which they will place the dental crown.
• Since porcelain, acrylic, and ceramic dental crowns tend to match your teeth’s natural hue, your dentist will choose accordingly.
• Most dentists suggest porcelain crown as it enhances strength and gives an attractive look.

• Firstly, your dentist will make a mould of your bite when you are making a crown for your decayed tooth. This will help them to understand the exact shape of your teeth.
• Then, the mould will be sent to a laboratory where a customised dental crown will be made. This might require a few weeks.
• Well, if your doctor has an advanced Computer Aided Drafting Machine, crowning your tooth can be possible in a single visit.

A dental bridge, on the other hand, is a false tooth or a pontic placed on either side of the gaps of your tooth. In case you have a missing tooth, your dentist will advise you to bridge the gaps through dental bridges. To ensure the bridge matches your teeth’s natural hue, pontics come in porcelain.

A dental bridge addresses the following:

• A dental bridge procedure will restore your smile and enhance your teeth's aesthetic appeal if you have a missing tooth.
• You can properly chew your food after going through a dental bridge procedure.
• Communicating and pronouncing become easier after this procedure.
• It prevents the adjacent teeth from moving out of their places.
• Dental bridges are effective as they place your jaws together in place.

• While dental crowns are meant to repair your damaged enamel, a dental bridge will effectively replace your missing tooth.
• During the process, your dentist will place dental implants on your teeth or at the external edges of the missing tooth area.
• Like dental crowns, you have a choice of materials for dental bridges too. You can choose any dental bridge as per your requirement- traditional, cantilever, Maryland, or implant-supported.

• Before beginning the procedure, your dentist will reduce the teeth at the external edges of the missing tooth area. This will allow the dental bridge to fit exactly in place.
• Then, your dentist will take an impression to ensure the exact side of the dental bridge.
• Your dentist will send this to a laboratory, and a dental bridge will be made of the size of your missing tooth.
• Till then, your dentist will cover the area while the laboratory prepares your dental bridge.

It is necessary to take care of your oral health if you are choosing to undergo the process of dental crowns and bridges. This allows the crowns and bridges to last for 15-20 years. Here are certain things you must follow to ensure your dental crowns and bridges stay for a lifetime:

• Regularly brush and floss your teeth twice a day. Use an interdental brush or water flossers to clean in between your teeth.
• Use antimicrobial mouth rinses and tongue scrapers to avoid bacterial attacks inside your mouth.
• Make frequent appointments to the dentist for professional dental cleaning procedures and routine oral check-ups.
• Avoid sugar and sticky food for at least 24 hours as it can harm the teeth. Additionally, stop consuming caffeine and tobacco to prevent stains and infection on your tooth (if possible permanently).
• Avoid eating hard food for some time as this might result in your crowns and bridges loosening. It is extremely important for the next 24 hours. However, doctors recommend avoiding it for a lifetime (if possible).

Following are the advantages and disadvantages that dental crowns come with:

• Advantages of Dental Crowns:

1. Dental crowns ensure reduction of sensitivity and protection of your tooth against any decay or damage in future.
2. The procedure is less invasive and very easy to conduct.
3. A dental laboratory will design your crown to match your existing enamel's exact colour, size and shape.
4. Dental crowns restore your teeth's appearance and make them look brighter.
5. This procedure can last more than 30 years as top-quality materials are used to design the crowns.

• Disadvantages of Dental Crowns

1. A major disadvantage of dental crowns is that it is a costly procedure. Since each of our mouths are different, it depends on what material we need.
2. In case your dentist has filled the tooth very thin, there are chances of nerve damage. In that case, your doctor might advise you of complete nerve removal.
3. If your dental crown is too abrasive, it might affect the adjacent teeth by wearing them off. This might lead to sensitivity of your tooth.
4. Porcelain crowns might chip off after a certain time period. Although you can repair a smaller one, the larger ones might not be repaired.
5. If the cement underlying the crown washes off, your crown might loosen.

The advantages and disadvantages of dental bridges are:

• Advantages of Dental Bridges:

1. This procedure restores the natural appearance of your smile and mouth. Additionally, it maintains your natural facial structure too.
2. Ensures proper speaking and pronunciation, which is a problem when you have a missing tooth.
3. A dental bridge prevents the adjacent teeth from pushing into the missing tooth area leading to several other complications.
4. After a dental bridge, you can properly chew your food and will not feel discomfort while eating.

• Disadvantages of Dental Bridges

1. Dental bridges might change your teeth' structure, making it difficult for you to bite.
2. It might collapse if your abutment teeth cannot support the dental bridge. Additionally, future decay or damage to the abutment teeth can damage your dental bridge too.
3. If your dental bridge doesn’t fit well, plaque and bacterial attacks might decay your teeth.

So, now that you have an idea of dental crowns and bridges, before proceeding with any of these, make sure to consult your doctor. Also, if you have any queries in mind, be sure to ask your dentist and be clear of any doubts about these processes.