Bridge Crowns

Dental crowns can be used in conjunction with many different restorative dental procedures. They may even be included as components of a dental device.

Crowns are used to help dental bridges remain fixed in position. Here is a bit of information about bridge crowns and their use:

What Is a Bridge Crown?

A conventional fixed dental bridge includes one or more false teeth that will replace the teeth missing from the patient's mouth. However, the bridge also includes a dental crown on each end, bordering the false teeth. These crowns are called bridge crowns.

The crowns are placed over the teeth that border the gap or space left in the mouth by the patient's missing teeth.  In order to hold the bridge crowns on the teeth, they are cemented into place.

How Long Does a Bridge Crown Last?

A dental bridge can last for years. The bridge crowns should remain in place as long as the dental bridge does.

It is important to care for a dental bridge properly by doing the following:

• Not chewing on excessively hard substances that could damage the bridge, such as ice or hard candy
• Wearing a night guard if you grind your teeth at night
• Wearing a mouth guard during contact sports
• Keeping the gums healthy around the appliance by brushing and flossing regularly

Does a Bridge Crown Damage the Teeth?

A bridge crown that is made of porcelain may cause a bit of additional wear on adjacent teeth, due to to the abrasiveness of the dental material. In addition, the teeth over which the bridge crowns are placed must be prepared before the bridge crowns are added.

This preparation includes the removal of a small amount of tooth material. This ensures that the crown does not look unnatural or change the patient's bite pattern.

Nevertheless, as long as a gap-bordering tooth is covered by a bridge crown, it has continual protection against dental decay. Unlike tooth enamel, dental crown materials do not decay when exposed to bacterial acids. 

What Material Is Used for a Bridge Crown?

Dental crowns can be made of many different materials, such as stainless steel, silver, gold, resin, porcelain-over-metal or all-porcelain. However, they are usually fashioned from tooth-colored materials, such as porcelain-over-metal. The color of the bridge crowns can be matched to that of the patient's existing dental work or remaining natural teeth. 

For more information about bridge crowns, schedule a consultation with a dental office in your local area, like Pinon Hills Dental.