Blog Post

Ideally, your teeth last your lifetime. However, any number of issues can interfere with the ideal. For instance, you might experience a sports or car accident that knocks a tooth out. 

Even if there’s no traumatic incident, tooth decay could come into play. Per the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 90% of adults between the ages of 20 and 64 have at least some level of decay. 

Fortunately, dental professionals have developed a way to help you keep a full smile, even if you have severe tooth decay or loss. Today, we want to introduce you to crowns and bridges, two options Sandi E. Silva, DDS, and our team offer at our office in Tustin, California. 

Crowns

Simply put, a dental crown is a custom-fit cap that covers a tooth. It’s not just an accessory, though. The crown stabilizes and protects the tooth.

For example, Dr. Silva might place a crown after you’ve had a root canal. After removing a portion of your tooth to eliminate all decay, the tooth might be structurally compromised. The crown reintroduces the support it needs so you can chew normally. 

Dr. Silva might also recommend a crown if a tooth has been cracked or badly chipped. 

In other words, if your tooth is too weak to do well on its own, the crown extends its lifespan in your mouth. And because Dr. Silva matches the crown to the surrounding teeth, it helps you maintain a full, natural-looking smile. 

Bridges

Crowns can help when a tooth is compromised, but what about when one falls out or needs extraction? Dental bridges can come to the rescue if you have a gap in your smile.

Bridges use crowns. This time, though, the crown isn’t protecting the tooth under it. Instead, the crown serves as an anchor. When Dr. Silva attaches your replacement tooth to the bridge and affixes it to the neighboring tooth, it fills the gap in your smile. 

That doesn’t just correct the cosmetic issue. It also helps you chew and speak normally. Also, with the bridge in place, your other teeth can’t drift into the gap and cause tooth misalignment problems.

Dr. Silva may recommend bridges to replace a single missing tooth or a series of continuous missing teeth. Anchoring the bridge with crowns on either side offers an effective smile-restoring option.  

If you think you would benefit from a crown or a bridge, don’t hesitate to schedule some time with Dr. Silva. Call our office to book an appointment today.