If you have gaps in your smile or need to cover up damaged teeth you might be interested in this blog post which explores the benefits of dental crowns and bridges. Both are permanent and realistic ways of improving your smile, but it can be helpful to know what each treatment involves and how they can benefit you before asking your dentist for a consultation.
What are dental crowns and bridges?
Dental crowns are usually made from porcelain, acrylic, metal alloy or ceramic material to create a cover or cap that goes over a damaged tooth. They can be used in this way to improve the shape, alignment or appearance of a tooth and can also be used on top of a dental implant to create a tooth-like shape. Dental crowns can be matched to the colour of your natural teeth so as to blend in with your smile.
Dental crowns tend to be used to replace large fillings if there isn’t enough of the natural tooth remaining to fill, to cover a dental implant, to restore a fractured tooth or to help protect a weakened tooth from further damage.
Dental bridges are generally made from the same materials as crowns but are used to fill in the gaps created by missing teeth. If gaps are left untreated, the surrounding teeth will eventually move and rotate into the space and result in a misaligned bite. Bridges span the space where teeth are missing, with the natural teeth, or implants, on either side of the gap acting as pillars. As with crowns, dental bridges can also be matched to the colour of your natural teeth.
Unlike dentures, dental crowns and bridges are permanent fixtures that can only be removed by a dentist. If you look after them, by practising good oral hygiene, they can last a lifetime. A few tips to help you look after your crowns and bridges include:
- Avoid biting down on very hard foods or ice.
- Brush your teeth twice daily using a fluoride toothpaste.
- Use dental floss or interdental brushes to clean in between your teeth
Though they are different in terms of the problems they solve, the benefits of dental crowns and bridges are mostly the same, namely that they:
- Can give you more confidence in your appearance by resolving any gaps caused by missing teeth and blend in with surrounding teeth thanks to being colour matched.
- Provide a hassle free solution as, unlike dentures, you don’t have to take them out every day to clean them.
- Can last a lifetime as long as you look after them and follow good oral health habits.
How much is a dental crown or bridge?
The cost of treatment very much depends upon your individual smile. For example, whether you need a crown, a bridge or both and whether you have one or more missing teeth that need to be taken into account when restoring your smile. The good news is that here at Dentalia we offer 0% finance on many of our treatments, enabling you to spread the cost of your dental crowns and bridges to make them more affordable.
Dental crowns and bridges in Basingstoke
If you would like to find out more about dental crowns and bridges or would like to book a consultation to see the dental team at our Basingstoke practice, please call us on 01256 353033 or click here to send us a message.
