Crowns & Bridges in Knoxville, TN

Crowns and Bridges Help Protect and Prevent Damaged Teeth

If you have cracked, broken, decayed or missing teeth, crowns and bridges are the perfect way to cover those damaged teeth and replace the missing ones. They come in a variety of materials and are shaped to look like your natural teeth so no one can tell the difference. They will help repair your teeth and restore your smile.

Crowns

Crowns are permanent covers that go over a single tooth. They are used to protect a tooth that has been cracked or broken or has decayed to the point that a filling will no longer take care of the problem. They can also be used to improve the look of a tooth that is discolored or misshapen.

The process of getting a crown:

1. Create a mold – After filing down the damaged tooth to remove part of the outer layer, an impression will be made of the tooth. This impression will ensure that a properly fitting crown will be made to fit over the damaged tooth perfectly.
2. Choose material – Crowns come in a variety of materials that range in durability, style, and cost. We will help you choose the best one for you.
3. Color match – We want the crown to look like your other teeth, so we will do a color match to make sure the new porcelain or ceramic crown if that is the material you choose, will not stand out from your other teeth.
4. Temporary tooth – Because the crown takes time to create, a temporary crown will be put in place. This will allow you to continue to function while you wait for the permanent crown.
5. Create the crown – The impression will be sent to the lab and the permanent crown will be created out of the material you have chosen.
6. Place the permanent crown – Once we receive the crown, we will remove the temporary crown and put the permanent crown over your tooth. In order to keep it snug and tight, we cement it securely in place so it will last for years, as you properly care for it just as you do your natural teeth.
7. Shape – We file and shape the crown to make sure it fits and functions correctly.
8. Check bite – Finally, we ask you to bite down to make sure the crown doesn’t cause you any discomfort or cause a gap that could shift and cause problems in the future.

Bridges

A bridge is just what it sounds like. It is a set of false teeth that is placed in between your natural teeth where you have a missing tooth. Bridges are made to “bridge” together multiple missing teeth. There are permanent bridges and removable bridges. They protect the rest of the teeth in your mouth from shifting due to missing teeth. Bridges can be attached onto prepared teeth, onto a dental implant, or they can be secured in place by your natural teeth. Bridges are customized to fit in the space of missing teeth so they are comfortable and aesthetically pleasing.

How to Care for Crowns and Bridges

As with your natural teeth, the best way to keep crowns and bridges in tip-top shape is to have healthy dental habits. These include:

• Brushing your teeth twice daily
• Flossing, especially around the crown and bridge, to reduce bacteria
• Mouthwash
• Bi-annual dental checkups

You should also avoid chewing hard food and ice to protect them from breaking or cracking.

Crowns and bridges are a great option to not only repair damaged teeth but to improve your smile as well. If you want to learn more about how we can help you with dental crowns and bridges in Knoxville, TN, give us a call today!