The Ultimate Guide to Dental Crowns and Bridges

Dental crowns, also known as caps, are restorations that cover or "cap" a damaged tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Crowns can be made from various materials, each offering unique benefits. Dental bridges are used to replace one or more missing teeth by anchoring artificial teeth to adjacent natural teeth or implants.

Types of Dental Crowns:

1. Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crowns:
   • Description: These crowns have a metal base covered with porcelain, combining strength and aesthetics.
   • Advantages: Durable and aesthetically pleasing.
   • Disadvantages: The metal underneath can sometimes show as a dark line at the gum line, and the porcelain can wear down opposing teeth.
2. All-Ceramic or All-Porcelain Crowns:
   • Description: Made entirely from ceramic or porcelain materials.
   • Advantages: Best natural color match, suitable for patients with metal allergies.
   • Disadvantages: Less durable than metal-based crowns, especially under high stress like molar chewing.
3. Base Metal Alloy Crowns:
   • Description: Made from nobel or non-noble metals, providing a strong base.
   • Advantages: Highly durable, biocompatible.
   • Disadvantages: Aesthetically unappealing due to metallic color.
4. Zirconia Crowns:
   • Description: Made from zirconium dioxide, a very strong type of ceramic.
   • Advantages: Highly durable, biocompatible, aesthetically pleasing, can be milled using CAD/CAM technology.
   • Disadvantages: Can be abrasive to opposing teeth.

Types of Dental Bridges:

1. Traditional Bridges:
   • Description: Consists of a false tooth or teeth being held in place by dental crowns cemented onto each of the abutment teeth.
   • Advantages: Strong and reliable.
   • Disadvantages: Requires the preparation of adjacent teeth.
2. Cantilever Bridges:
   • Description: Similar to traditional bridges but only supported by a crown on one side.
   • Advantages: Useful in areas with limited space.
   • Disadvantages: Less stable, can put extra force on supporting tooth.
3. Maryland Bridges (Resin-Bonded Bridges):
   • Description: Uses a metal or porcelain framework bonded to the back of the adjacent teeth.
   • Advantages: Minimal preparation of adjacent teeth.
   • Disadvantages: Less durable, can become loose over time.
4. Implant-Supported Bridges:
   • Description: Supported by dental implants rather than natural teeth.
   • Advantages: Highly stable and functional, doesn't affect adjacent teeth.
   • Disadvantages: Requires surgery and longer treatment time, higher cost.

Procedure for Dental Crowns and Bridges

1. Initial Consultation and Digital Assessment:
   • Using advanced intra-oral scanners, the process begins with a thorough digital examination. High-resolution images and 3D scans of your teeth and gums are taken to assess the condition and plan the treatment with precision.
2. Tooth Preparation:
   • Crowns: The tooth receiving the crown is carefully reshaped to make room for the crown. This involves removing a precise amount of enamel. In some cases, the tooth may need a core build-up if it is significantly damaged.
   • Bridges: Adjacent teeth (abutments) are prepared similarly to crowns to support the bridge structure.
3. Digital Impressions:
   • Instead of traditional putty impressions, an intra-oral scanner captures detailed digital impressions of the prepared teeth. This technology ensures higher accuracy and comfort, eliminating the need for messy impression materials.
4. Temporary Crown/Bridge:
   • A temporary crown or bridge is 3D printed or milled in-house using the digital scan data. This protects the prepared teeth and maintains functionality while the permanent restoration is fabricated.
5. CAD/CAM Fabrication:
   • The digital impressions are sent to a dental lab or an in-house CAD/CAM system where the permanent crown or bridge is designed and manufactured. This technology allows for high precision and customization.
6. Fitting and Cementing:
   • The permanent crown or bridge is tried in to ensure a perfect fit and proper occlusion. Adjustments are made as necessary, and then the restoration is permanently cemented in place using advanced dental adhesives.

Benefits of Digital Dentistry in Crowns and Bridges at Dazzle Dental

1. In-house Laboratory:
   • Allows us to have strict control on quality and turnaround time for the treatment.
2. Enhanced Accuracy:
   • Digital impressions and CAD/CAM technology provide precise fit and alignment, reducing the need for adjustments and remakes.
3. Patient Comfort:
   • Intra-oral scanners eliminate the discomfort associated with traditional impression materials, making the procedure more comfortable and faster.
4. Efficiency:
   • The digital workflow speeds up the entire process, from impressions to fabrication, often allowing for same-day restorations.
5. Durability and Aesthetics:
   • Crowns and bridges produced through digital means are highly durable and can be crafted to match the exact shade and translucency of natural teeth, enhancing both strength and appearance.
6. Minimized Human Error:
   • The use of digital technology reduces the potential for human error, ensuring consistently high-quality restorations.

Maintenance Tips for Dental Crowns and Bridges

1. Oral Hygiene:
   • Maintain excellent oral hygiene by brushing twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste and using interdental brushes or floss to clean around the crowns and bridges.
2. Regular Check-ups:
   • Schedule regular dental visits for professional cleanings and check-ups. These appointments allow your dentist to monitor the condition of your restorations and your overall oral health.
3. Avoid Hard Foods:
   • Be cautious with hard or sticky foods that can damage or dislodge your crowns and bridges. Chewing on ice, hard candies, or non-food items should be avoided.
4. Nightguards for Bruxism:
   • If you grind or clench your teeth at night, wearing a custom-made nightguard can protect your crowns and bridges from excessive wear and potential damage.
5. Promptly Address Issues:
   • If you experience any discomfort, loosening, or damage to your crown or bridge, contact your dentist immediately. Early intervention can prevent further complications and extend the life of your restoration.

Dental crowns and bridges are essential tools in modern dentistry, providing functional and aesthetic solutions for damaged or missing teeth. At Dazzle Dental Clinic, we specialize in offering the highest quality crowns and bridges tailored to meet your unique needs. By utilizing the latest in digital dentistry technology, Dazzle Dental Clinic ensures that your crowns and tooth bridge are crafted with the highest precision and quality, providing you with superior functionality and aesthetics. Contact us today on 022 41498949 to schedule your consultation and take the first step towards a healthier, more beautiful smile.