Madison Ave Dental, based in Greenwood, Indiana, and serving the surrounding areas, can help you get appropriate Crowns & Bridges to ensure your teeth look beautiful and natural. Outlined below is everything you need to know about crowns and bridges to help you understand what they are, why you might need them, and what the process involves. 

What Are Dental Crowns & Bridges?

Dental crowns and bridges are used to fix or replace teeth that have become damaged, whether following an accident or due to general decay over time. 

A dental crown is used to repair damaged tooth structure, while a bridge is fitted when a single tooth or many teeth are missing. 

Regardless of the reason for treatment, a crown or bridge is a great way to return your smile to its natural beaming state, bringing back the confidence you sorely miss. 

When Would You Need Dental Crowns & Bridges? 

While crowns and bridges are similar in some ways, there are distinctions between when and why you might need them. 

Patients will require dental crowns after the tooth structure is damaged, but they may also be required for cracks or fractures, following a root canal, substantial wear after experiencing trauma, or to fix misshapen or discolored teeth. 

A crown is an artificial tooth made from porcelain or ceramic, and can be matched to the color of your existing teeth for increased aesthetics. 

A bridge is an option patients consider after losing a tooth without the chance of it growing back. Bridges are also used for fitting multiple teeth if more than one is missing, and they are constructed using porcelain and involve multiple crowns fitted together.

Bridges are permanent, so you don’t need to remove them as you would dentures, but this also means you need to take better care of them. 

What Is the Process for Dental Crowns & Bridges? 

The process for fitting a crown involves several steps that enable the simple application. First, your dentist will file the tooth down and reshape it into a more manageable size. From here, they will remove any decay that surrounds the tooth and gums and give it a thorough clean. Once this is completed, your dentist will replace the tooth structure that will hold the crown in place, which is then cemented to hold tight. 

With bridges, your dentist will prepare the teeth on either side of the existing gap. The false tooth is fitted between two crowns that are attached the same way as a regular crown. When the area is ready, your dentist will cement the crowns and bridge in place. This is a permanent application, and the bridge will serve the same function as natural teeth. 

Most bridges are called 3-unit-bridges as it involves a single false tooth and two crowns. However, if the circumstances allow, you can fit 4, 5, or more unit bridges to replace a wider gap. 

Get In Touch 

If you live in the Greenwood, Indiana area and need more information about Crowns & Bridges, get in touch with Madison Ave Dental today at (317) 881-4305 or via email to speak to a member of our friendly and highly trained staff.