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Crowns & Bridges ¤ú¾¦¤ú桥(ºØ¤ú)
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Dental Crowns
Reinforce the surface of a worn down or broken tooth with a crown
Dental crowns, also known as dental caps, cover damaged or discoloured teeth. Crowns cover the entire tooth, starting at the gum line. They are usually made of gold, porcelain, or a combination of both.
Though crowns can be used to improve the appearance of a tooth, they are not primarily cosmetic devices. Dentists recommend crowns to protect or strengthen weakened teeth, or to restore a disfigured tooth to its original shape. "Capping" a tooth requires buffing away part of a tooth to make room for the crown, so dentists often discourage it as a cosmetic method unless the teeth are damaged.
Crowns strengthen teeth by binding the sides of the weakened tooth together, much the way a splint holds together a broken bone. Large fillings taking up over a third of the tooth may weaken that tooth over time; crowns are often used in cases where such weakened teeth threaten to break.
The "capping" procedure takes place under anaesthetic. Because the crown is about two millimeters thick, the dentist first shaves this same amount off your existing tooth to avoid awkward-looking, oversized teeth. The dentist will also re-shape your tooth into a form upon which a cap can easily sit. He or she will then make a replica of your tooth. Usually, this replica will be a putty mold. This mold is then sent to a laboratory, where the crown will be made based on this mold. In the case of a porcelain crown, the dentist will choose a shade close to the colour of the surrounding teeth. You will return about two weeks later to have the crown fitted and, once both you and your dentist are satisfied with the "look and feel" of the crown, cemented over your original tooth
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Dental Bridges
Bridges can replace one or more missing teeth
A dental bridge is a false tooth, known as a pontic, which is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. The two crowns holding it in place that are attached onto your teeth on each side of the false tooth. This is known as a fixed bridge. This procedure is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Fixed bridges cannot be taken out of your mouth as you might do with removable partial dentures.
In areas of your mouth that are under less stress, such as your front teeth, a cantilever bridge may be used. Cantilever bridges are used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space. Bridges can reduce your risk of gum disease, help correct some bite issues and even improve your speech. Bridges require your commitment to serious oral hygiene, but will last as many ten years or more.
Your dentist will prepare your teeth on either side of the space for the false tooth. You will be given a mild anesthetic to numb the area, and the dentist will remove the an area of each abutment (teeth on either side of the space) to accommodate for the thickness of the crown. When these teeth already have fillings, part of the filling may be left in place to help as a foundation for the crown.
The dentist will then make an impression, which will serve as the model from which the bridge, false tooth and crowns will be made by a dental laboratory. A temporary bridge will be placed for you to wear while your bridge is being made until your next visit. This temporary bridge will serve to protect your teeth and gums.
Your dentist may have you use a Flipper appliance. A Flipper is a false tooth to temporarily take the place of a missing tooth before the permanent bridge is placed. A Flipper can be attached via either a wire or a plastic piece that fits in the roof of your mouth. Flippers are meant to be a temporary solution while awaiting the permanent bridge.
On your second appointment, the temporary bridge will be removed. Your new permanent bridge will be fitted and checked and adjusted for any bite discrepancies. Your new bridge will then be cemented to your teeth.
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