Dental Crowns Vs. Dental Bridges: What Are the Differences Between the Two?

If you have lost one or several teeth, you find dental bridges and dental crowns the best solutions to replace the missing teeth. Dental bridges and crowns both use prosthetic devices to restore your smile. Dentists recommend dental crowns if you have a damaged or fractured tooth. On the other hand, if you have one or more teeth missing in your mouth, dental bridges are excellent solutions to restore your smile.

You may find it challenging to understand the difference between the two as a layperson. However, this blog provides the information you are looking for to help you understand how dental crowns vs. dental bridges are entirely different dental prosthetics beneficial for you in many ways. Let us look at the differences between the two helping you understand which option is suitable for any situation.

Dental Bridge

Dental bridges are prosthetic appliances to replace missing teeth. A fixed bridge is made up of porcelain fused to metal to improve the chewing ability and appearance of the teeth. Dental bridges consist of fake teeth fixed firmly between two dental crowns. The two dental crowns are fixed to the neighboring teeth beside the gap left by the missing tooth. The dentist initially prepares the supporting teeth to accommodate the crown. In some cases, if you don’t have healthy supporting teeth beside the blank space, you can have dental implants to replace the missing teeth instead of compromising the integrity of the neighboring teeth. After a dental bridge is fixed in position, it functions like your natural teeth.

Dental Crowns

A tooth crown is a false tooth made from porcelain or ceramic. Dental crowns are excellent because they are custom-made according to your requirements. Matching the color and texture to your existing teeth is possible when fabricating your dental crowns. Some crowns using gold alloys for improving their strength are also available.

Dentists prefer using a tooth cap on an existing tooth chipped, broken, or fractured due to any reason. During the process of placing dental crowns, the targeted tooth is filed down and reshaped into a smaller size. Next, the dentist removes the tooth decay from the surface of the tooth, and the structure is restored to ensure it supports the crown. After that, the dental crown placement happens on the surface, and it is bonded in place with dental cement. Dental crowns act as a cap over the reshaped tooth to improve its strength.

Which Option Is Suitable for You?

If you are a victim of any situation mentioned above and are confused between dental crowns and bridges, it helps if you visit an experienced dentist right away for the restoration. The experience and expertise of the dentist will undoubtedly help you overcome any dental problem you can find with utmost ease.

If you have a missing tooth, you will receive a tooth bridge helping you to bridge the gap between your teeth. Dental bridges are fixed non-removable appliances that remain in your mouth for over a decade with proper dental hygiene.

If you have decayed or damaged teeth for any reason, the dentist recommends a dental cap to restore the tooth to its strength and functionality. Both solutions ensure they bring your smile back and give you the abilities you lost because of a missing tooth or a damaged tooth to restore your mouth’s functionality.

The procedure for having either dental crowns or bridges placed is intensive and requires at least two appointments at the dentist’s office. The first appointment is to examine your teeth and prepare them for the placements. Next, dentists take impressions of your teeth to have your customized restorations created in a dental lab but give you temporary restorations over your prepared teeth. Finally, you must schedule an appointment with your dentist in approximately two to three weeks when the dental lab returns your final restorations.

During your second appointment, the dentist checks the restorations for fit and color before removing the temporary placements and replacing them with the permanent repairs. After the final meeting, you can begin displaying your smile and enjoying the foods you love as you please so long as you adhere to the dentist’s instructions and take care not to damage the placements by chewing on hard or sticky foods. Maintaining excellent dental hygiene is also a requirement with dental crowns or bridges to ensure you don’t allow plaque buildup to accumulate on them.