Three Uses Of Dental Crowns And How They Fit With Other Dental Fixtures
Dental crowns are an effective means of preserving natural teeth and preventing these teeth from falling out of one's mouth. They have three main distinct uses, but they are also incorporated in the use of other dental fixtures. Here are the uses of dental crowns, should your dentist tell you that you need one, and how they fit into your mouth with other dental fixtures.
Traditional Crowns
In this instance, you have a damaged tooth that your dentist wants to save. A crown allows you to keep most of the healthy tooth while capping it with a crown. When you have a crown over this tooth, it is essentially protected for the rest of its natural life. You can easily have more than one crown in your mouth, but most people who have a crown usually only have one to three crowns because the crowned teeth met with some misfortune, or could not withstand the brute force of nighttime teeth grinding (bruxism).
Crowns as Bridges
In almost every dental bridge, at least one crown is involved. Most dental bridges involve two crowns; one crown on each side of the fake tooth that fits into the spot of the missing tooth. If your dentist tells you that you should get a bridge, then the two teeth on either side of the missing tooth will be prepared as though they were going to receive individual crowns themselves. Then the bridge snaps right over the tops of these two prepared teeth, and the dentist uses a dental bonding agent to make the whole bridge stick in place.
Crowns Instead of Veneers
Some people consider the cosmetic approach of veneers one worth exploring. There is just one drawback to that; you need full, strong, healthy teeth to which to attach the veneers. If you consult with your dentist in regards to acquiring veneers, and he/she says that you are not a good candidate because of the condition of some of your teeth, then he/she may suggest crowns instead. Crowns may also be applied to your front teeth, which most people are not aware of. In this way, all of your teeth could be crowned, and the whitening, healthy smile effect you seek is the same as it would be if you had veneers.
How Crowns Fit with Other Fixtures
If you already have crowns in your mouth, but now you want Invisalign braces, remember that crowns cover natural teeth. That said, there is no reason you still cannot have invisible braces, as the braces can just as easily realign your crowned teeth as well as your un-crowned teeth. As for dental implants, crowns can hold spots for the implants in the form of bridges. Then your dentist can easily perform the implant surgery because the crowns and bridges have held open the spaces for the implants.
Visit websites like http://www.barnstabledental.com for more information.