Dental Bridges and Crowns in Kearney

The use of dental bridges and crowns is among the many techniques used in Restorative Dentistry. Restorative Dentistry is a branch of dentistry concerned with the replacement and restoration of missing or damaged teeth. The goal is not only to improve the patient’s smile but also to prevent several oral and dental problems from occurring in the absence of treatment. Dental restoration protects the rest of the teeth in your jaw by keeping them from migrating into the space of missing teeth and becoming loosened or misshapen. A good smile also has a tremendous psychological impact, improving your self-esteem and confidence.

A dental bridges provide many benefits to patients, including:

• Restoring a natural smile
• Restoring the natural ability to chew
• Enhancing communication
• Recovering the form of teeth and hence, face and facial features will also remain in proper form.

A dental crowns offer many benefits to patients, including:

• Protecting a weak tooth from breaking.
• Holding together parts of a cracked tooth.
• Restoring an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down.
• Covering and supporting a tooth with a large filling.
• Holding a dental bridge in place.
• Covering misshaped or severely discolored teeth.
• Covering a dental implant.
• Making a cosmetic modification.
• Restoring the ability to chew and speak properly.
• Maintaining the shape of your face.
• Distributing the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth.
• Preventing remaining teeth from drifting out of position.

For children, a crown may be used on primary (baby) teeth to save a tooth that has been so damaged by decay that it can’t support a filling; to protect the teeth of a child at high risk for tooth decay, especially when a child has difficulty keeping up with daily oral hygiene; and to decrease the frequency of general anesthesia for children unable to cooperate with requirements of proper dental care because of age, behavior, or medical history.

During your consultation, Dr. Reece will go over your medical and dental history and examine your mouth and the area being considered for bridgework. Necessary x-rays may also be taken as well as a cast of your teeth.

Following this exam, Dr. Reece will assess whether or not the teeth that would hold the bridge would need some work before the bridge is made. For example, some patients may need a root canal on one of the teeth before the bridge is started.

Once any foundation work has been completed, Dr. Reece will schedule you for an appointment for bridgework.

Getting a dental bridge is typically a two-appointment process.

Your first appointment is for preparing the abutment teeth for the crowns that will hold the bridge in place. Dr. Reece will

• Administer a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding tissue.
• Prepare abutment teeth, removing some of the enamel to make room for the crown to be placed over them.
• Take preliminary impressions of your teeth to get a model of them to send to the dental lab.
• Reshape and reduce teeth to the required size to make space for the bridge. Depending on the size of the bridge, this could take up to an hour to do.
• Make a temporary bridge to wear to protect the exposed teeth and gums while the dental lab makes the permanent bridge. The dental lab usually takes 7-10 business days to complete the fabrication of your dental bridge.

After your first appointment, Dr. Reece will schedule your second appointment for cementing the permanent bridge into place.

During that appointment, Dr. Reece will

• Administer a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding tissue (this is optional).
• Remove the temporary bridge.
• Check the new bridge and adjust as needed for a proper fit and bite.
• Cement the bridge into place.

Note that depending on the type of bridge the patient is getting, multiple visits may be required to check the fit of the metal framework and bite before permanently cementing the bridge into place.

During your consultation for a dental crown, Dr. Reece will go over your medical and dental history with you and then examine your mouth and the area being considered for a crown.

Dr. Reece may take a few necessary x-rays to check the root of the tooth and surrounding bone. If the tooth has extensive decay or if there is a risk of infection or injury to the tooth’s pulp, she may recommend that you have a root canal done first.

Getting a dental crown is a two-appointment process.

Your first appointment is for preparing your tooth for a crown. Dr. Reece will

• Administer a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding tissue.
• Take preliminary impressions of your upper and lower dental arches to create a perfect crown for your tooth. For full ceramic or porcelain fused to metal crowns (PFM), Dr. Reece will use a shade guide to record the exact color of your tooth.
• Prepare the tooth for a dental crown, removing tooth filling material and decay from the affected tooth.
• Take a final impression of your prepared tooth.
• Fabricate the temporary crown, shaping it to fit your tooth and removing any rough edges.
• Secure the temporary crown into place over your prepared tooth with temporary cement.

The impressions for your dental crown are then sent to a dental lab to create your permanent crown.

After your first appointment, Dr. Reece will schedule your second appointment for cementing the permanent crown into place atop the prepared tooth.

During that appointment, Dr. Reece will

• Administer a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and surrounding tissue (this is optional).
• Remove the temporary cement from the temporary crown.
• Rinse and dry the tooth.
• Use a piece of dental floss to check the contacts between the crown and adjacent teeth to ensure there is an ideal contact between the teeth.
• Place the permanent crown over the prepared tooth, permanently cementing it into place.
• Check the bite to ensure your teeth bite together correctly.

While dental bridges and crowns can last a lifetime, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The most important step you can take to ensure your bridge or crown’s longevity is to practice good oral hygiene.

• Keep your gums and teeth healthy by brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing daily.
• See your dentist or hygienist regularly for checkups and professional cleanings.
• Avoid chewing hard foods and ice to prevent damage to your new crown or bridge.

Dental bridges and crowns, on average, can last about 15 years if you take proper care of them.

If you are interested in dental crowns or bridges, call Advanced Dentistry of Kearney at (308) 237-1311 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Reece.