Crowns and Bridges

If your smile is damaged, either by dental trauma, disease, or tooth loss, you’re probably looking for a way to restore it to its former state. There are many restorative options for patients who have experienced dental trauma, including crowns and bridges. Our dentists, Dr. Thompson and Drs. Starbody offers these easy-to-use, versatile restorations that are used for multiple procedures, from root canal therapy to tooth loss replacement. Keep reading to learn what crowns and bridges can do for you.  

What Are Crowns?

Crowns are tooth-shaped, cap-like dental restorations that are customized to blend in seamlessly with your natural smile. They’re often made of porcelain but crowns have been known to come in many materials to suit a wide variety of needs and aesthetics including:

• Ceramic
• Composite Resin
• Gold
• Silver
• Alloys
• Zirconia

Benefits of Crowns 

Crowns are a fundamental part of dentistry because they can be used for multiple purposes including: 

• Restoring a tooth’s form and function
• Corrects cosmetic flaws such as discoloration, gaps, and uneven sizing
• Repairing damage
• Replacing a tooth by topping off a dental implant

Additionally, crowns are prized in dentistry for their:

• Minimally-invasive installation
• Durability
• Stain resistance
• Resemblance to real teeth depending on the material used

What Are Bridges?

Bridges are dental restorations that can restore a smile after tooth loss. These restorations are made of a row of false teeth called pontics, which have crowns attached to either end. The crowns are cemented to the healthy teeth (abutment teeth) on either end of the space left by your missing teeth. After the crowns are cemented onto the abutment teeth, they hold the pontics in place, ‘bridging the gap’ left by your lost teeth. 

Benefits of Bridges

Bridges offer many of the same benefits as crowns including additional benefits such as comfortably replacing up to four missing teeth. Additionally, while bridges are a great restorative option for patients who don’t want to undergo implant placement, you can also opt for implant-supported bridges if you don’t want to shave down your healthy teeth to support the restoration.  

The Process of Receiving Crowns and Bridges

While there are distinct differences in the processes of receiving crowns and bridges, the steps also tend to be similar. Here’s what you can usually expect:

Initial Consultation

Before you receive your crown or bridge restoration, you’ll undergo a consultation with one of our skilled dentists. During your consultation, your dentist will thoroughly examine your teeth, review your medical history, and discuss your oral health goals with you. The information your dentist gathers will allow them to determine if a crown or a bridge is the right treatment method for you. Your dentist can also offer sedation dentistry options if you think you’ll need help relaxing during your procedure. 

Preparing Your Teeth For Your Restoration

Once you and your dentist have decided to move forward with crowns or bridges for treatment, we’ll prepare your teeth. To prepare your teeth for your crown or bridge restoration, we’ll apply a local anesthetic to the soft tissues around the tooth. Then, your dentist will remove a small amount of enamel from the appropriate teeth, shaping them into a base for the crowns. 

Designing Your Restoration

Once your dentist has shaped your teeth, we’ll take images and impressions of them. These will be sent to a special offsite lab and used as the blueprints for your custom-made restoration. Depending on your case, your dentist may provide a temporary restoration for you to wear. You’ll return to our Murfreesboro office to have your restoration installed once it’s ready.  

Installing Your Restoration

When you return to our Murfreesboro office, your dentist will show you your brand-new restoration and make sure it’s to your liking. If you’re satisfied, they’ll cement it into place with dental adhesive. Once your restoration is installed, you’ll be free to start enjoying your new smile.