Dental Crowns and Bridges

What is a dental crown?

Dental crowns are used in cases where a tooth has a filling that is larger than the natural tooth structure. These situations include when the tooth has undergone root canal therapy or filling is desired for cosmetic purposes.

Dental crowns serve multiple purposes, including covering a damaged tooth and attaching to dental implants for the replacement of missing teeth. These implants are later inserted surgically into the jawbone to serve as the tooth’s root, ensuring that the crown is firmly and securely anchored in place.

Additionally, dental crowns may also be used to provide extra support for dental bridges. They do not require any special treatment and can be brushed and flossed as normal.

What is a dental bridge?

When a patient has lost one or more teeth, a dental bridges are commonly used. They are called bridges because they consist of one or more replacement teeth that bridge the gap that was created when the original teeth became lost. Dental bridges can be secured using abutment crowns on each end or by using permanently installed precision metal mechanisms. At Pike Smiles, we custom design each component of a dental bridge to ensure that it looks natural and provides the desired performance.

How do temporary dental crowns work?

To get the impression of your teeth correct for the permanent dental crown, your dentist must shape the tooth base below it. This could leave your tooth vulnerable in the short period between creation of the impression and delivery of the crown. So, the dentist will provide a temporary dental crown to ensure your tooth is protected during this period.

When you return for the fitting appointment, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and fit your permanent crown or bridge to the base.