Crowns vs. Bridges: How Are They Different?

You almost always hear about crowns and bridges at the same time, but they’re not one and the same. Each has its own unique uses, so if you need to restore or replace a tooth, it’s important to learn about how they’re different.

At least 120 million Americans are missing one or more teeth, and millions more need restoration of a badly damaged tooth. Crowns and bridges fill those needs and help preserve your oral health for the long term.

At Pioneer Dental Group, talented dentist Dr. Behzad Binafard and our skilled team excel in tooth replacement and restoration in our state-of-the-art Norwalk, California office. We offer custom crowns and bridges that can make your smile look beautiful and function perfectly.

In this month’s blog, we’re discussing everything you need to know about crowns, bridges, and how they’re different.

Crowns

Crowns are porcelain caps that fit over a natural tooth. You might need a crown in cases of:

Severe tooth damage (large crack, chip, or break)
Serious tooth decay
Significantly weakened tooth (for example, after root canal therapy)
Very large filling (covering two-thirds of the tooth surface or more)

A crown can also fit onto a dental implant to replace a missing tooth.

At Pioneer Dental Group, our team takes digital impressions of your mouth to determine exactly what size and shape crown you need. After that, our on-site dental lab uses those impressions to make your custom crown.

Our team selects porcelain or ceramic that closely matches the shade of your natural teeth so your new crown will fit in perfectly and be undetectable. It usually takes us just a few days to create your custom crown.

Then, we remove the damaged part of your tooth and use a strong bonding cement to attach the crown to your tooth permanently.

Bridges

Bridges are true to their name. They bridge the gap that a missing tooth (or small group of teeth) leaves behind. Bridges help maintain your natural teeth spacing, prevent shifting, and preserve your smile.

Generally, bridges include one replacement tooth with crowns on either side of it.

Much as with the crown-making process, we create digital impressions of your mouth and use the on-site lab to make your new bridge.

To attach the bridge, we prepare the teeth on either side of your gap by removing a small amount of enamel and roughening their surface.

Then, we use dental cement to fit the crowns over your teeth. The replacement tooth and crowns blend in seamlessly with your natural teeth nearby. As with individual crowns, we custom-make your bridge and select the color that matches your teeth.

Do you need a crown or a bridge?

As you can see, crowns and bridges are similar but different — and bridges actually contain crowns. This blog might make it a little easier to understand the differences and determine which one is right for you.

If you’re ready to set up your crown or bridge consultation, don’t hesitate to call our office or contact us online now.