Crowns and Bridges: Custom Restorations to Protect and Enhance Your Smile

Crowns and bridges are two of the most common restorative treatments in dentistry. Today’s materials allow us to craft high-quality custom restorations that can enhance your health, function, and appearance. At Truedent Family Dentistry, Dr. Mileidis Pena Marro is equipped to handle virtually any dental issue. When you choose our practice, rest assured you’ll be receiving the highest level of care available.

About Dental Crowns

Often referred to as “caps”, dental crowns fit over the entirety of a tooth, providing reinforcement and strength. These restorations can be made from a wide range of materials, including metal, zirconia, porcelain, and porcelain-fused-to-metal. Most patients choose an option that blends in with the surrounding teeth for natural-looking results. When properly cared for, a dental crown can last upwards of 20 years – often much, much longer.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

Crowns offer many advantages for patients. In addition to restoring a broken-down or decayed tooth, dental crowns can:

Dental Crown Candidacy

There are plenty of reasons why a patient may benefit from a dental crown. You may qualify for this type of treatment if:

• You have moderate to severe decay
• Your tooth is fractured, chipped, or cracked
• You have a weakened tooth that needs reinforcement
• Your bite feels “off”
• You have small, misshapen, or disproportionate teeth
• You suffer from bruxism
• You have deep stains that do not respond to teeth whitening
• A root canal-treated tooth needs additional protection
• You have a dental implant that needs to be restored

About Dental Bridges

The purpose of a dental bridge is to replace a row of missing teeth. This restoration is comprised of two dental crowns with pontics (or, artificial teeth) between them. Like crowns, bridges can be made from a variety of materials. With appropriate maintenance and care, bridges can last 20 years or longer.

Benefits of Dental Bridges

For qualifying patients, bridges offer a wide range of advantages. These restorations can:

• Support the facial features and reduce the appearance of “sunken-in” cheeks
• Improve bite issues and functionality
• Reduce the risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and bone loss
• Improve speech issues
• Reduce or eliminate the risk for TMJ disorder
• Prevent shifting of remaining teeth

Dental Bridge Candidacy

Bridges are typically recommended for replacing one to three consecutive teeth. Patients who are missing more than this may be better suited for other treatments, such as partial dentures or dental implants. Furthermore, dental bridge candidates should not have gum disease or extensive decay, as these issues can seriously hinder the success of treatment. If necessary, Dr. Pena Marro can perform restorative treatments to improve oral health before dental bridge placement.

Dental Crown and Bridge Treatment

Before a restoration can be placed, the affected tooth or teeth must be prepped. To do this, Dr. Pena Marro removes small amounts of enamel. This creates sufficient room for your new restorations, and also prepares the surfaces for bonding. Once this step is complete, impressions are taken and sent to our dental lab. There, a trained technician creates your new crown or bridge.

Once your restoration has been fabricated, we’ll schedule you for another office visit. During this appointment, Dr. Pena Marro will try on your new crown or bridge and assess the fit, color, and shape. After ensuring that the restoration fits in with your bite, she will bond it into place with high-quality dental cement.

Contact Our Miami, FL Practice

No matter what your dental needs, we are equipped to handle them. Schedule a visit at Truedent Family Dentistry today. You can call our office at (786) 847-0123 or contact us online.