What You Should Know About Dental Crowns And Bridges
Bridges and crowns are cosmetic options, having important factors in common. Unlike dentures, they are permanent dental solutions fixed to your teeth or jaw and can only be removed by a dentist. They each provide unique services and require certain considerations as well, meaning picking the best one would depend on your specific circumstances in collaboration with your dentist.
Dr. Mitchell Chang is a dentist in Omaha who is always available to provide you with dental crowns or bridges near you.
What Are Dental Bridges?
Dental bridges are suspended false teeth held between crowns and used to replace missing teeth. They are typically a row of three or more teeth installed as one single piece. The teeth in the center which is called a bridge pontic create a gap in your smile and are firmly held in by affixing its ends to existing teeth.
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are a hollow form of prosthetic teeth that are usually made either out of porcelain or ceramics and are used to protect a vulnerable or damaged tooth, especially a fractured tooth. Crowns also provide cosmetic function, covering discolored or misshapen teeth, and are applied onto the teeth by the reduction in the size of the existing tooth, by filing away the enamel by its outer surface and some of the underlying dentin, and then the crown placed on top of it.
Crowns Or Bridges: How To Make An Informed Decision.
Your dentist will liaise with you to make a cosmetic decision, based on some factors like:
Several Missing Teeth: If you miss many teeth in a series or all of your teeth get knocked out, getting an implant for each of them would be impractical. Hence, dentures would be your best pick. But if you are missing 3 to 4 teeth in a row, a dental bridge would most effectively serve the purpose here. However, if you have one or two teeth missing from different parts of your smile, you may fill the gap with an implant.
Cost: The cheapest option is getting dentures as a low-cost denture would cost around $300 to $500 per denture. If the plan is to get a complete set of dentures (upper and lower), it would cost no more than $1000. In comparison, a bridge with one pontic and two crowns would cost between $2,000 and $5,000, and the estimated cost of getting a single dental implant is $3,000 to $4,500.
Experience: Implants are the closest to the natural teeth and offer the best experience. They cause no harm to natural teeth, gums, or bones. On the other hand, dentures can cause mouth sores, bone loss, receding gums, and alteration in the face frame. Embarrassing clicking noises, difficulty in eating and talking, and sliding are some common complaints of denture wearers. Dentures can break easily. Although bridges are a better option than dentures, they need regular maintenance to prevent gum diseases. The surface under the bridge needs to be cleaned daily.
Replacement: Dentures may last up to 7 years if proper care is taken, after which a new set of dentures will be made for you. Similarly, a dental bridge needs to be replaced after 10 years. Implants offer a permanent solution and do not need replacement. Hence, implants may be the most expensive but the cost of replacement is zero. This makes them cheaper in the long run.
You can schedule a meeting with a Dentist near you here in Omaha, and walking in to talk with our dentist in 68132.