What is a dental crown?
A dental crown, often also called a cap, covers your natural tooth. A crown can return your tooth to its ideal appearance and function after it's badly damaged. The main reasons that you might need a crown include:
- Tooth break
- Tooth crack
- Extensive tooth decay
- Badly worn tooth
- Tooth reinforcement after a root canal
- Tooth restoration attached to a dental implant
It takes two visits to Zam Dental to get a crown. In your first appointment, your Zam Dental provider prepares your tooth to hold the crown. This involves precise gentle tooth reshaping, along with decay removal as needed. Then, you'll wear a temporary crown until your next appointment, when your provider swaps the temporary crown for the new one.
What is a dental bridge?
A dental bridge replaces a missing tooth (or sometimes a group of teeth) with a prosthetic tooth (a pontic). A fixed dental bridge, the most common type, is typically made of a single unit with two crowns and a pontic suspended in the middle.
Your Zam Dental provider affixes the crowns to your healthy teeth using dental cement, which gives you a permanent tooth replacement. Fixed dental bridges are sometimes also called partial dentures. It usually takes two visits to Zam Dental to get a fixed dental bridge.
How do I take care of crowns and bridges?
Taking care of crowns and bridges is usually very simple. Brush and floss your teeth every day, using a specialized floss threader to get under the appliance so you can eliminate plaque effectively. It's also important to see your Zam Dental provider for teeth cleanings and check-ups every six months.
How long will crowns and bridges last?
If you look after them properly, crowns, bridges, and other dental appliances can last for years. But, if you're looking for a permanent kind of tooth restoration, dental implants could be a good possibility to consider. The Zam Dental team can examine your mouth and give you customized advice about tooth restorations and replacements.
Reach out to Zam Dental by phone or through the online appointment maker to learn how crowns and bridges can complete your smile.
