What Are Modern Crowns And Bridges?

In the modern dental industry, there are countless ways to ensure that your smile looks and feels as natural as possible. Two common methods of restoring damaged or decayed teeth are crowns and bridges. Many people are familiar with the terms crown and bridge, but most do not know exactly what the treatment entails, or what they can expect. Continue reading for more information on crowns and bridges.

What Are Modern Crowns?

Crowns are essentially “caps” that are fabricated to fit perfectly over a tooth in order to protect it from developing further decay. Crowns can be fabricated from a number of different materials, but most modern crowns are made of a mixture of porcelain and some sort of metal to ensure its durability and strength. The traditional silver or gold teeth that most people negatively associate with crowns are still an option, but for the most part are very much a thing of the past; modern crowns are expertly crafted to not only match the color, but the shape and size of your natural teeth, as well. To the naked eye, modern crowns are virtually impossible to spot.

When the decay in a tooth has reached a certain point, the dentist will no longer recommend a simple filling to salvage the tooth. Instead, the dentist will recommend that a large filling, known clinically as a “buildup”, be placed inside the tooth. The tooth will then be shaved down on all sides about a millimeter or two. Shaving the tooth down is done in order to make the natural tooth structure smaller, so that a crown can be placed directly over top.

The process of fabricating and cementing a crown is usually done within two appointments. During the first appointment, the dentist will place the buildup inside the tooth and shave the tooth down. A precise impression will be taken of the prepared tooth, and in most cases, the impression will be sent out in the mail to a lab that will fabricate the crown. In some cases, some offices will have their own lab to fabricate crowns on the premises, and some offices may even have a dental 3D printer, which may grant the possibility of having the crown fabricated on the same day. If the crown is being mailed out for fabrication, a temporary crown will then be fabricated out of a resin material in order to complete the patient’s smile and fill the space in the meantime. In most cases, the permanent crown will return within two weeks. The patient returns to have the temporary crown removed, and the permanent crown cemented.

What Are Bridges?

A bridge is essentially just a three-or more- unit crown. In the case that there is a missing tooth in the mouth, patients have the option of filling that space with an artificial tooth that is suspended between two “anchor” teeth. Bridges are a cost-effective alternative to having an implant placed, but there is one drawback; in order to place a bridge, the two anchor teeth must be shaved down and prepared to have the bridge placed over top. The process of placing a bridge in the mouth is essentially the same as a crown preparation and placement. In most cases, the two anchor teeth on either side of the prosthetic tooth are completely healthy, and the placement of the bridge places these two teeth in danger should the bridge fail. It is for this reason that dentists always suggest having a single implant placed, with bridges as an alternative treatment option.

Going forward with the information you learned here, you will be able to better understand your treatment options. Discuss your options with either Dr. Gregory Bangiyev or Dr. Artur Bababekov to determine if a modern crown or bridge would be right for you!

What is a Root Canal? Endodontic Therapy

A procedure that may sound common to those who have visited the dentist, a root canal is one such that dentists recommend to patients to relieve pain or in some cases, even save a natural part of their tooth, should it be damaged.

Dentists often recommend root canals as a treatment to patients whose teeth are either damaged or infected with a disease. These qualified physicians treat millions of patients with this form of treatment, to relieve the symptoms associated with pain.

A root canal gets recommended when the white enamel and a tissue layer, which contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue, gets affected during development. An adult tooth can thrive on its own, but not teeth that are underdeveloped, nor prone to infections.

What is a root canal?

It is a form of treatment that gets recommended to patients who need to get their teeth filled, to prevent the tooth from becoming further infected, or continue with an ongoing infection, as well as prevent pain.

Advantages of seeking root canal treatment include a normal biting sensation, as well as force, an improved natural appearance and chewing abilities and protects it from any wear or stain.

When do you need a root canal?

Dentin, also referred to as the tooth’s pulp could become inflamed, infected and irritated, as a result of decay, a crack or chip in the tooth, trauma and excessive dental surgery.

Symptoms of root canal patients include extreme toothache, discoloration of the tooth, swelling in the gums and prolonged pain, which increases with either hot or cold temperatures.

What does the root canal procedure entail?

When a patient gets recommended to receive a root canal, he/she will require several visits to the endodontist, which is a type of dentist who specializes in the causes, diagnostics, as well as the prevention of dental problems.

The first step to getting a root canal is going for an X-ray, which allows both you and the endodontist, to establish what the shape of the tooth looks like. By looking at an X-ray, these dentists can also determine whether their patient is prone to infections.

Once established, the dentist will place you under anesthesia. Although it might seem that as the patient, you do not require anesthetics, it will relax you and relieve temporary discomfort.

The following step involves your dentist placing a rubber sheet, known as a dam, around your affected tooth, to keep it dry from saliva.

After that, a hole will get drilled in the tooth, the tissue gets removed and a file(s), gets placed into the hole, which should scrub and scrape the sides of the root canals. The dentist will then use sodium hypochlorite, to clean the teeth from bacteria.

Upon the cleaning of the tooth, it gets sealed. It is usually either done immediately or in the patients’ second session of visiting the dentist. If this procedure isn’t completed in one day, a filing gets placed in the hole of the tooth.

What should you expect with root canal therapy?

This particular form of treatment was specifically designed to relieve excessive pain. Sometimes, dentists will also suggest their patients to get a crown.

During the process of healing your tooth, you must avoid chewing on gum or any extended periods of chewing. The purpose of receiving a root canal is also to protect it from breakage.

After a few dates of receiving treatment, your teeth may feel sensitive, which is a primary result of the procedure. Dentists recommend that patients avoid chewing, as this could cause recontamination of the tooth. To treat the discomfort and pain, one must use over-the-counter prescribed medication, which usually includes ibuprofen or naproxen. You should also brush and floss your teeth at scheduled intervals throughout the day, to speed up the process of healing.

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