A Brief Overview of Dental Crowns and Bridges

It can be impactful when you damage or lose a tooth or multiple teeth. First, especially if the missing tooth is in your “smile zone,” your appearance can be drastically altered. When missing a tooth in a visible area, you may find yourself hiding your smile due to diminished self-confidence. However important your appearance is to you, another issue is in play when you lose a tooth, or a tooth is damaged. With a lost tooth, there are dental health implications, such as teeth shifting. Dr. Anu Mohan provides dental restoration options at I-Rise Dental in Del Mar, California, including dental crowns (white caps) and bridges, which help restore the function and appearance of damaged or missing teeth.

Dental Crowns

Also called caps, dental crowns are designed to cover a damaged or decayed tooth to protect it from further damage. Crowns are custom-made to fit your natural tooth’s size, shape, and color. Crowns are typically crafted using dental-grade porcelain, ceramics, or even gold. While a crown can strengthen a damaged tooth to protect it from further cracking or breaking, they are also versatile. Dental crowns can be used to hide purely aesthetic concerns such as discoloration. Dental crowns are also used as part of a dental implant when a missing tooth is replaced.

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges, unlike a crown, serve a singular purpose: replacing missing teeth. The abutment teeth hold the dental bridge in position as it fills the space left by missing teeth. The crowns at each end of the bridge fit over your natural teeth on both sides of the gap created by your missing teeth. In between the abutments are artificial teeth which will provide you with the functionality you would expect from natural teeth. These artificial teeth, called pontics, effectively “bridge” the gap. A dental bridge will improve your smile and help prevent your teeth from shifting into the existing gap, which can result in bite problems.

To learn more about dental crowns and bridges, please call I-Rise Dental at (858) 465-8717.

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