Dental Crowns and Bridges Fond Du Lac, WI
Do you know the difference between these two dental prosthetics? Dr. Daniel Stevens and Dr. Jake Wallock offers both dental crowns and bridges at Fond Du Lac Family Dentistry. They are great ways to protect and preserve smiles damaged by decay, gum disease and tooth loss. Read on to learn more about these common restorative treatments and their outstanding results.
Should you just extract a damaged tooth?
The answer is no, because nothing looks, feels or functions quite like a natural tooth. Plus, when you lose a tooth, your jaw bone and gum tissue naturally begin to recede. The more teeth you lose, the more aged your facial appearance becomes, and the harder it is to bite and chew properly. In other words, keep your own teeth as long as possible.
Dental Crowns Can Protect & Restore Your Tooth
After root canal therapy, a removal of extensive decay, or oral trauma (tooth fracture), a beautiful dental crown from Fond du Lac Family Dentistry may be just what you need to protect and beautify your tooth. Usually, crowns are made of precious metals, such as gold, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. They cover teeth from the gum line to the very top.
Your dentist will examine the tooth in question and X-ray it to see if a crown would be suitable. If so, he'll take an oral impression and remove the damaged tooth enamel and/or old filling material. This process usually requires nothing more than a local anesthetic to numb the area around the tooth. He'll place a temporary restoration and send instructions to his preferred dental lab. At the lab, a trained technician fabricates a customized crown with just the right shape and color for your smile.
On your return visit, your Fond du Lac dentist will remove the temporary crown and bond the permanent one in place. He takes the time to ensure it bites together with the opposing arch perfectly and does not crowd surrounding teeth.
You'll find your dental crown feels natural and looks great. Just care for it as you would your other teeth, brushing and flossing daily and coming to Fond Du Lac Family Dentistry for your check-up and professional cleaning. It should last you ten years or more!
Dental Bridges Replace Missing Teeth To Fill In Spaces
If you have lost one or more adjoining teeth, don't despair. We can fill that gap with fixed bridgework!
A dental bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth and literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth have been. A bridge can also help maintain the shape of your face and alleviate stress on your bite. Dental bridges attach to neighboring natural teeth (abutments) via dental crowns and can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials. The bridge is then bonded onto the surrounding teeth for support.
As with the crown procedure, your Fond du Lac dentist does a comprehensive oral exam and takes impressions. Their treatment plan tells the lab precisely how to make the bridgework. Because the appliance involves crowns, the dentist prepares the abutment teeth by removing some enamel. This process ensures the bridgework will be properly supported and stay in place for its expected lifespan of ten years.
The success of any dental bridge depends on its foundation — the other teeth, gums, or bone to which it is attached. Therefore, it's very important to keep your existing teeth, gums, and jaw healthy and strong by practicing good oral hygiene and keeping up with regular dental checkups.