Crowns and bridges
Among the various types of dental restoration crowns and bridges are the most common type of prosthetics. Specialists at ArtStom Dental Clinic in Prague (Czech Republic) can help you restore the health of your teeth and have a whiter smile.
Crowns and bridges: Features
Crown is an artificial tooth apex, which is designed to be placed on some kind of support. It can be a personal root, a post, an impacted post or an implant. A dental bridge is a prosthetic structure that includes several crowns, which can be used to restore one to four or five teeth.
Among the main advantages of such dentures are their affordability for people of different financial means and a fairly simple method of implementation. Various materials are used for the fabrication of dental crowns. In our clinic we offer our patients dentures with zirconia, all-ceramic and metal-ceramic crowns.
Zirconia bridges, consisting of 4-5 or even more crowns in a row, are characterized by durability. However, if in this case the support in the form of living teeth may no longer be sufficient, then one or more implants are necessary.
Indications for dental crowns
The necessity for dental restorations with the application of dental crowns arises in the following cases:
- To restore the aesthetic appearance of the teeth;
- To restore more than half of a tooth that has decayed;
- To correct a gap between teeth;
- To correct the position of a tooth if it has turned or protruded.
And if there are small defects on the surface of the teeth, but without affecting the integrity of the tissue, we will offer you the placement of veneers.
Indications for dental bridges
Dental bridges are installed in the following cases:
- When one or more consecutive teeth are missing along with the root;
- If healthy teeth (or roots) need to be supported by a bridge on either side of the defect.
Methods of fixation of dental crowns
In practice, there are several ways of fixation of crowns.
- On a previously sharpened living tooth. It is important that there is enough tissue to securely anchor the crown. Temporary or permanent cement can be used for luting.
- An anatomically shaped core build-up inlay can be used. The inlay allows for an even distribution of stress. The top of the inlay is a reduced copy of the crown. Note that if the tooth root is preserved, it can serve as a support for fixation of the crown.
- On the implant.
The method of fixation of the crown is chosen individually in each case.
Peculiarities of dental crowns and bridges placement
Prior to prosthetic treatment, a preliminary preparation of the oral cavity is performed, including the removal of carious lesions, extraction of the nerve (if necessary), cleaning and filling of dental canals. Implants are then made, and a temporary plastic or composite crown is placed, or if several teeth are missing, a removable prosthesis.
The color of future artificial teeth is discussed with the patient. Subsequently, the temporary structure is removed and a permanent one is placed. Crowns and bridges are firmly attached to a special dental adhesive cement. The excess of cement is removed and the restoration is polished to its final shape.
When a metal-ceramic crown is placed, the prosthesis is preset, after which (if the patient is comfortable), the permanent restoration is placed.