Restoring Your Smile with Dental Crowns and Bridges

Nothing inspires confidence more than a beautiful smile. But, over time, our smiles degrade as our teeth do. It’s not just a cosmetic issue. Damaged teeth can cause pain, infection, speech deficiencies, and problems when eating.

If you have damaged or missing teeth, there are several procedures available to restore your smile and overall oral health. Learn about dental crowns and dental bridges below and make an informed choice.

Single Dental Crowns in Pitt Meadows – Effective Treatment for Damaged Teeth

Dental Crowns and Onlays in Pitt Meadows

Instead of being built in layers directly like dental fillings, crowns and onlays are known as indirect restorations and are fabricated outside of the mouth. Our Pitt Meadows dentists at Meadows Dental Group take impressions of the teeth, then the restoration is shaped to match the part of the tooth it will replace. Crowns and onlays are more effective than fillings in reinforcing teeth to withstand biting forces, and more resistant to further decay. If a tooth’s original structure is too compromised to support a filling, these indirect restorations can provide fantastic, long-lasting, beautiful results.

A damaged or worn tooth can be restored with a single crown. This is a custom-molded cap placed over an existing tooth to bring it back to its original size, shape, and strength.

Crowns are cemented over a damaged tooth, fully encapsulating it around the areas visible above the gum line.

You might need a dental crown in Pitt Meadows if:

• A tooth has been weakened from decay.
• Your tooth has been broken or severely worn down.
• A tooth requires additional support for a large filling.
• Bridging is needed.
• You want to improve cosmetic appearance.
• To cover an implant.

Our dentists will discuss the need for a crown and explain your options. Various materials are used with unique benefits:

• Metals like gold, platinum, and chromium alloys are sometimes used for crowns that will be out of sight, typically around molars. A metal crown could potentially last a lifetime.
• Porcelain may be fused over a metal crown to give a natural appearance.
• Zirconia crowns are the strongest of all and are highly biocompatible.
• Resin crowns are cost-effective but can fracture and wear down over time.
• All-ceramic (E-max) and porcelain crowns are used for front and back teeth and provide a natural look with a long lifetime.

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Same Day CAD/CAM Cerec Dental Crowns

A same day dental crown is a dental crown that has been milled directly in the office using Cerec technology to fabricate the crown instead of a dental lab fabricating the dental crown. The CAD/CAM technology uses a scanner to scan the area to receive the dental crown instead of taking an impression. The digital information is sent to the Cerec machine to fabricate the dental crown in the clinic while you watch! The dental crown is then permanently cemented in the clinic in the same appointment. No need to return for a second appointment and no need for a temporary crown. This limits the number of appointments for you and also decreases the chance of cross contamination as there are less people handling your impression and dental crown. In many circumstances where a dental crown is recommended a same day Cerec dental crown can be done.

For more information on Same Day CAD/CAM Cerec Dental Crowns see our article here.

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Dental Bridges in Pitt Meadows

A fixed bridge is a dental restoration to that is fixed to surrounding teeth. The bridge fills (bridges) the gap left by the missing teeth, preventing the surrounding teeth from moving into the gap and becoming misaligned.

A fixed bridge is a less invasive treatment than a dental implant. In cases where the surrounding teeth are strong enough to support the bridge, it is an excellent solution to maintain alignment and create a beautiful smile. Your dentist can craft a bridge that perfectly matches the color of the surrounding teeth, shaped to enhance your smile even more than the teeth it replaces.

If you have missing teeth that are affecting the way you feel about your smile, call us at Meadows Dental Group to learn your options for restoring the natural look of your smile.

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Full Mouth Rehabilitation in Pitt Meadows – Complete Restorative Treatment

Crowns are highly effective for restoring damaged and worn teeth. However, there are cases where full mouth rehabilitation will be needed. This is an extensive dental treatment that replaces missing and broken teeth, corrects crooked teeth, or corrects poorly aligned jaws. The procedure is highly technical and requires an element of artistry to create a perfect smile.

You may need full mouth rehabilitation if:

• A significant number of teeth are severely worn.
• You suffer from Temporomandibular joint syndrome.
• You have loose teeth.
• Your teeth are chipped and cracked.
• Other restorative methods have failed.
• You have pain around all your teeth at different times.
• You have gum disease and extensive tooth decay.
• You suffer other symptoms of the mouth or jaw and our dentists in Pitt Meadows recommends rehabilitation.

No two full mouth rehabilitation procedures are alike. Treatment and restoration are customized to each patient. It can include installing dental implants, dental bridges and dental crowns, filling cavities, and cleaning or whitening teeth.

This is both a cosmetic and medical treatment, depending on your specific needs. If you have significant oral health concerns and want to address issues with your teeth and smile, talk to our dentists in Pitt Meadows about full mouth rehabilitation.

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Dental Crown vs Filling – Make an Informed Decision

A tooth that has been damaged or worn can be rebuilt. You have two options to consider here. Dental crowns and fillings may be recommended by our dentist in Pitt Meadows, but the decision will ultimately rest on you.
Crown placement is a procedure that costs more than a filling and it takes more time to complete. But, there’s a lot more that goes into the decision making process.

Dental fillings address cavities but offer little protection. A filling doesn’t increase the strength of the tooth, and in some cases, a filling may increase the chance of developing a fracture later.

A crown strengthens and protects. It can provide effective reinforcement by completely encasing a tooth. A crown will also restore the cosmetic appearance and it can withstand a significant amount of wear and tear before being damaged. Some crowns will last your entire lifetime, depending on the placement and materials used.

Even though dental fillings aren’t as strong as crowns, there are situations where this isn’t a major concern. Repairing a small amount of damage in a minor cavity is efficient and affordable when using a filling. The tooth will still retain most of its natural integrity.

However, more significant damage that requires a large filling can come with risk. The cusp of the tooth (the area around the filling) could be structurally compromised and could break off later.

With the guidance of our dentist in Pitt Meadows, you can make an informed decision. Keep the fundamentals in mind…

• • Minor damage and small cavities can be perfectly suited to fillings.
  • Fillings don’t protect the integrity of the tooth.
  • Large fillings can compromise tooth strength and increase the risk of fracture.
  • Crowns encapsulate a damaged tooth, effectively restoring it and preventing further damage.

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Implant vs Dental Bridge – Deciding on a Procedure for Missing Teeth

Missing teeth can be restored with implants and dental bridges. Both procedures are effective, but only one will be right for you.

Bridges and implants are entirely unique:

• A bridge describes, in a literal sense, the process of filling a gap with a false tooth by suspending it between two crowns.
• An implant is surgically attached to a titanium post that is embedded in the jawbone.

A bridge is a more affordable procedure, but there are some limitations. Bridging fills the gap between teeth, but it is not flawless. Bridges can be identified on close inspection, so the location of the bridge matters.

Implants cost more but a damaged or missing tooth can be replaced completely. The result is indiscernible from a natural tooth. For a front tooth, an implant is the only option that creates a completely natural smile. Implants are often used for full mouth rehabilitation where numerous teeth are broken, worn, missing, or otherwise damaged.

Implants also prevent deterioration in the jaw. If a damaged tooth is extracted to make way for bridging, the jawbone will shrink and affect facial structure. Because an implant replaces the entire structure of a previous tooth, all the way down into the jaw, normal chewing and biting stimulates the bone and prevents shrinkage. Implantation does come with a downside. The time it takes to complete can be significant. The consultation and different steps leading up to surgery can take between three and six months in most cases.

In a technical sense, implants are superior, but cost will be a major factor. Our dentist will discuss all potential treatment options, including any pros and cons that are unique to your case. Consider your options carefully when you decide between a dental bridge vs implant.

We welcome you to contact our dental office in Pitt Meadows to book an appointment.

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