Crown and bridge is a common procedure in dentistry to replace one or more missing teeth. There are many steps to this procedure.
The first step is to assess if you can even get the procedure. To get a crown and bridge, you must have strong supportive teeth beside the tooth that needs to be replaced. You must also have good oral hygiene in order to maintain your future crown and bridge. The dentist will take impressions and a bite registration of your teeth. These will be sent to the lab to create a custom crown and bridge that perfectly fits you.
The dentist will then shave down the strong teeth a little. This is done to add the crown on top. A final impression is taken of that tooth as well. This impression uses more expensive material to ensure the crown made perfectly fits the shaved-down tooth. Don’t worry, the dentist won’t send you home with a small, shaved-down tooth; you will now get a temporary crown. The temporary crown is not as strong or aesthetic as the permanent crown, as it is only kept for a few weeks. The temporary crown is made by pouring the dental material into the impression you just took and placing it back into your mouth. This creates a perfect shell that will cover your tooth. The dentist will correct the temporary crown and cement it in place with a temporary cement.You will then go home with the temporary crown and revisit the office again after a few weeks once the permanent crown is ready. The crown should fit you perfectly, but if it doesn’t, the dentist can readjust it for you.
The crown will be on either one side or both sides of the tooth that is to be replaced, and a fake tooth called a pontic is placed to replace the missing tooth. The pontic simply sits on top of your gums, and the gums underneath need to be cleaned with a floss threader. You won’t be able to floss between the pontics as it will be joined to the crown.
Crowns not sealed properly can harbor bacteria in them and cause cavities, so be sure to visit your dentist regularly to ensure the crown fits well.
Another option to replace a tooth is implants. Implants are teeth that have screws as roots, and the screws are put into the jawbone. The material used is titanium, as that has better connections with the bone, and the bone is able to grow around it, further securing it in place. However, implants are a lot more expensive procedures and require many appointments with the dentist.
At the Smile Team, we provide our clients with the best treatment options for them so book a consultation with Dr. Abid Hidayat today. We are open Mondays to Saturdays and speak GUJARATI, HINDI, URDU, TAGALOG and ARABIC. You can reach our family dental care office in Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, by calling 416-546-5599 (https://smileteamtoronto.ca/contact/)