Bridges | Crowns

Learn more about dental crowns and bridges provided by Cavanaugh Dental in Lansing. Bridges and crowns help restore damaged teeth or replace missing teeth.

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About | Bridges & Crowns

Bridges
A bridge is a great way to fill the space created by missing teeth. A bridge uses neighboring teeth to support an artificial tooth in the mouth. The materials used may be gold alloys, porcelain bonded to metal alloy, or all ceramic material made to match your natural tooth color. The choice of material depends on requirements for strength, wear, and aesthetics.

It is beneficial to replace a missing tooth as soon as possible. If not treated, the teeth surrounding the gap begin to shift inward. Since teeth use their neighbors for support, if one is missing they begin to “fall” and shift into the open spaces. This may worsen the bite because of the changes in pressure and can eventually result in problems with the jaw.

Crowns
A crown is a dental cap that’s used to entirely cover a damaged tooth. A crown not only strengthens a tooth, but it can dramatically improve a tooth’s appearance.
Crowns may be used to:

Replace a large filling when there is little tooth structure remaining
Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
Restore a fractured tooth
Attach a bridge
Cover a dental implant
Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

It takes two appointments to restore a tooth with a crown. During the first appointment, any decay is removed from the tooth and it is shaped to accept the crown. Then an impression is made of your tooth and a temporary crown is worn in the meantime. Between your two visits the crown is made. During the second visit, the temporary is removed, and the permanent crown is adjusted as needed and then cemented in place.