A crown covers or replaces an entire tooth, while a dental bridge fills the gap between two teeth. These two treatments can both be effective for replacing missing teeth and improving your smile’s appearance. Dental crowns and bridges are both permanent solutions that can replace missing teeth and restore your smile. 

Both procedures require a consultation with our dentist at Shore Drive Dental, to ensure that your teeth can support a crown or a bridge.

Dental Crowns

A crown is a cap that fits over your tooth above the gum line and improves its appearance and strength. Crowns can be made from metal, ceramic, zirconia, resin, and porcelain fused to metal. 

We may recommend a crown if you have a cavity too large for a filling, a broken tooth that needs to be restored, or a severely discolored or misshapen tooth. We use crowns when fillings are not enough to restore a tooth’s appearance and function.

The Advantages of Dental Crowns

A crown protects and reinforces a tooth weakened by decay or injury. Crowns also restore functionality to the tooth, allowing you to chew and speak as you usually would. A crown can be color-matched to the rest of your teeth so that it blends in seamlessly when you smile.

In addition to strengthening and protecting the tooth, a crown can cover a dental implant for a seamless look that is virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth. With proper care, your crown can last for many, many years but you do need to avoid habits that could damage or break it. Don’t chew on ice or other hard foods that can crack your crown and keep your gums healthy with routine cleanings at our dental office.

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is a fixed restorative structure that replaces one or more missing teeth in a row. The bridge consists of two dental crowns and a “pontic” or artificial tooth that fills the gap where the tooth or teeth are missing. The crowns are attached to surrounding healthy teeth to support the restoration. The bridge helps to prevent the shifting of the natural teeth surrounding the gap, which can cause misalignment and additional complications. 

The Benefits of Dental Bridges

Bridges are secured by crowns placed on the adjacent teeth. This means your bridge will be more stable than removable dentures that can slip or shift in your mouth. Plus, you’ll be able to speak and chew properly too.

But bridges do more than replace missing teeth. They also strengthen sagging facial muscles and improve the appearance of your smile at the same time. That’s because bridges are made from natural-looking materials that closely mimic the appearance of natural teeth.

For more information on the benefits of crowns and bridges, visit Shore Drive Dental at 4417A Shore Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, or call (757) 460-1939.