Melbourne area family dentist explains crowns and bridges

You are probably familiar with crowns and bridges. They rank among the most commonly used dental restorations, and the designs remained essentially unchanged for many years. However, dental crowns and bridges aren’t what they once were – and that is wonderful news! Today, we have healthier, more durable, materials than ever. Additionally, with the advent of dental implants, there are more types of crowns and bridges than ever. If you’re confused, don’t worry. Here is a simple breakdown of everything you wanted to know about crowns and bridges!

Traditional crowns

These are the “tooth caps” that you might think of when you hear of dental crowns. They fit over the tooth, covering all visible surfaces. At one time, it was common for crowns to be made entirely of metal or at least have a metal framework. Some dental offices continue the use of metal, but it is unnecessary with modern high-strength porcelain alternatives. At Smile in Style, we utilize metal-free, biocompatible, cosmetic dental materials. We also create our own crowns using the CEREC CAD CAM technology. We prepare your tooth for a crown, then we scan your tooth with our CEREC Omnicam camera. The dentist then designs the crown and mills it from a porcelain block using our in-house milling machine. The crown can then be placed in your mouth on the same day.

Implant crowns

The design of these crowns is very similar to the traditional version, with one important distinction. Rather than fitting over a natural tooth, it is attached to an implant. These specially designed crowns are used to replace individual missing teeth

Bridgework

The traditional “dental bridge” is a single unit, comprised of a false tooth with a standard crown attached to each side. The crowns are fitted over existing teeth. This is a convenient and effective way to replace a missing tooth. However, it does require alteration of existing teeth to accommodate the crowns. Implant-supported restorations are largely replacing bridges as the default solution for individual missing teeth.

Implant bridges

Like standard bridges, these restorations are composed of multiple pieces fused into a single unit. However, implant bridges do not need natural teeth for stabilization, so there is no drilling, grinding, or other tooth alteration needed. Instead, they are composed of several natural-looking false teeth, joined to create a customized restoration.

This is a great solution for people who are missing some, but not all, of their natural teeth. Then add in: Implants and any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. We will discuss the risks of the procedure during your consultation as well as examine your health to ensure you are a suitable candidate for implants. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

This is a great solution for people who are missing some, but not all, of their natural teeth. Please contact us for appointment scheduling or further information. You can reach our Sunbury office at 03 8001 6021 or our Moonee Ponds office at 03 8400 4104.