Crowns And Bridges Specialist

What is a crown?

A crown is an artificial tooth cap that’s permanently affixed to an existing root structure, like a natural tooth root or dental implant. Once in place, a crown covers the entire area of your tooth above the gumline, and it feels and functions just like a natural tooth. 

Your crown can even look like a natural tooth too, depending on the material used. Crowns serve a wide range of purposes, including:

• Reinforcing a weak tooth
• Protecting a compromised tooth from fracturing
• Restoring a tooth that’s suffered significant damage or decay
• Replacing a discolored or unsightly tooth
• Capping off a dental implant

Crowns are also usually applied after a root canal procedure to restore the strength and function of your tooth.

What is a bridge?

A bridge is a device that replaces teeth that are fully missing from your smile. It’s composed of an artificial tooth (called a “pontic”) that’s attached to a crown on either side or, in the case of a Maryland bridge, a metal framework that bonds to the back of your adjacent teeth. 

To understand why you might need a bridge, it first helps to understand how missing teeth can affect your oral health. Missing teeth can lead to several health problems, including:

• Shifting teeth
• Misaligned bite
• Sagging facial muscles

Bridge work is as much an art as it is a science. The materials the team at Post Oak Dental may use include gold alloys, porcelain bonded to metal alloy, or all ceramic material made to match your natural tooth color. The choice of material depends on requirements for strength, wear, and/or aesthetics.

What happens when I get a crown or bridge?

When you get a crown or bridge, the team at Post Oak Dental first numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic and shaves off some of the enamel from your tooth. 

If you’re getting a crown, they shave down your tooth getting the crown. If you’re getting a bridge, they shave down enamel from the teeth adjacent to your missing tooth.

Once your teeth are prepared, they take an impression of your teeth and send it to a lab, where your crown or bridge is fabricated to fit perfectly in your mouth and blend in seamlessly with the rest of your smile. 

The team fits you with a temporary crown or bridge to wear while you wait for your permanent restoration to come back from the lab.

When your permanent crown or bridge is ready, the team removes your temporary restoration and replaces it with the permanent one. They check that the fit and bite are correct and comfortable, and seal it in place with a permanent cement.

For the best crowns and bridges in Houston, call Post Oak Dental or book an appointment online today.