Crowns and Bridges

When a tooth has been damaged to such an extent that over half of its original structure is involved, a dental crown is likely the most suitable form of restoration. Damage may consist of a very large area of decay, a tooth fracture or break, or excessive wear. Whatever the cause, damage leaves a tooth vulnerable to the intense force of biting, which has been measured as hundreds of pounds.

A crown is a full cover, a tooth jacket that encapsulates the entire visible portion of a weakened tooth. Though many crowns are made of some type of metal, including gold, most people do not choose to leave this metal substructure as is. One of the most common types of crowns today is the porcelain-fused-to-metal crown, referred to as a PFM. Options also exist for those who wish to restore the natural look and feel of their smile without the use of metal at all. Using durable ceramic materials, our dental lab creates outstanding metal-free dental crowns that can last for many years.

There are several uses for dental crowns. A single crown may be used to cover a fragile tooth or to complete a dental implant. The dental crown is also an integral part of the dental bridge, used for tooth replacement. Dr. Fuller creates beautiful, natural-looking crowns for completion of tooth replacement with dental implants, as well as bridge work.

The dental bridge

The entire purpose of a dental bridge is the restoration of natural form and function after tooth loss. A bridge may be designed to replace one or more teeth in the same area. Due to natural appearance and durability, the fixed bridge is a very commonly chosen treatment.

In many cases, the ideal type of bridge is the fixed bridge. This restoration replaces one or more missing teeth by stabilizing an artificial tooth or teeth between two dental crowns. The fixed bridge is designed in our office and made in a dental lab using a model of the patient's teeth as a guide. The final restoration that is returned to our office will look like one cohesive piece. This is because the individual crowns and pontic(s) are fused together for full stability.

Bridge treatment involves the alteration of the tooth on each side of the open space. These two teeth will anchor the entire bridge and absorb the force when chewing. The bridge is fabricated from materials chosen by the patient, such as porcelain or composite material. Once bonded onto the anchor teeth, a bridge can offer many years of natural beauty and functionality. Bridges may also be stabilized with dental implants.

Marietta dentist Valerie Fuller, D.M.D., M.S., P.C. has several years of training and experience in the design and placement of beautiful crowns and bridges. Her commitment is to help individual patients achieve their desired outcome through care tailored to their exact needs. For dental care you can feel good about, call our office at (770) 977 7757.