Sometimes, the pursuit of the smile of your dreams requires a helping hand. This often means dental restorations. Dental restorations can take a number of forms, and two of the most popular and effective among these are dental crowns and dental bridges.
Let's take a moment to familiarize ourselves with these aesthetic and functional helpers, identify their respective benefits and shortcomings, and discuss how each can help restore the form and function of your smile and bite!
Dental Crowns vs. Dental Bridges: Similarities and Differences
Dental crowns and bridges both play essential roles in cosmetic dentistry. It's worth noting, however, that each of these restorative solutions plays a distinct role in elevating the look, feel, and function of your smile and bite and can boost your overall oral health.
Dental crowns are custom-made, often porcelain, caps that either cover and encase damaged or decayed teeth or sit on top of dental implants as long-term tooth replacements. Crowns serve to fortify (or replace) the shape and strength of natural teeth while also providing the aesthetic benefit of seamlessly blending in with a person's natural teeth.
Dental bridges, meanwhile, are prosthetic devices containing one or more artificial teeth that are anchored in place by crowns on top of natural teeth or dental implants. In the wake of tooth loss, a dental bridge replaces form and function by "bridging the gap" created by a missing tooth (or teeth).
When Should You Choose Dental Crowns?
- To cover and protect cracked or decayed teeth, restoring their integrity and preventing further damage.
- To strengthen and support the remainder of a natural tooth after a root canal and restore bite integrity.
- To enhance smile aesthetics by hiding discolored, misshapen, or misaligned teeth.
When Is a Dental Bridge Right for You?
- When you need to "bridge a gap" between natural teeth created by decay or injury-related tooth loss.
- To maintain proper alignment after tooth loss by preventing shifting and crowding among remaining teeth.
- To restore bite integrity and chewing function after tooth loss, which can also benefit overall health by aiding digestion and facilitating proper nutrient absorption.
Precisely Placing Dental Crowns and Dental Bridges in Hamlin, NY
If you're in Hamlin and looking for an experienced and highly-skilled dental care team to help guide you through the "crown vs. bridge" decision and ensure proper placement and post-procedure maintenance, contact me, Dr. Nicholas Garcia and our friendly and knowledgeable team at Hamlin Dental to schedule a consultation!