Our Services / Crowns & Bridges

What are crowns and bridges?

Crowns and bridges are dental restorations that repair damaged, decaying, or missing permanent teeth. Though similar, crowns and bridges are two different things:

Crowns

A crown covers a damaged or decaying tooth. It’s a synthetic cap that restores your enamel to its near-original appearance, strength, and size. Crowns are usually applied to your molars or premolars — the teeth at the back of your mouth.

Bridges

A bridge closes a gap in your smile. Traditional bridges have an artificial tooth and two dental crowns. Your Fair Lakes Family Dentistry provider bonds the crowns to the existing healthy teeth on either side of the gap in your smile. 

What do getting crowns and bridges involve?

At Fair Lakes Family Dentistry, getting crowns and bridges takes at least two visits.

First visit

First, your dentist conducts an oral exam and takes a series of oral X-rays to assess the health of your mouth. 

If you have a damaged or severely decaying tooth, your provider removes the weak portion of your enamel and takes impressions of your tooth. They send your impressions to a laboratory that designs and manufactures a custom crown that first perfectly.

If you’re missing one tooth or several teeth in a row, you can benefit from a bridge. Your provider removes a thin layer of enamel from the teeth on either side of the gap in your smile and takes impressions. They send your impressions to a lab that designs and manufactures a custom dental bridge.

Second visit

When your custom crown or bridge is ready, you return to Fair Lakes Family Dentistry. Your provider lines up the restoration, bonds it in place, polishes your teeth, and provides care instructions.

How long do crowns and bridges last?

Crowns and bridges typically last an average of 10-12* years, but you can extend their use by practicing good oral hygiene. The team at Fair Lakes Family Dentistry recommends:

• Flossing once daily
• Brushing your teeth twice daily
• Visiting the dentist every six months for an oral exam and professional teeth cleaning
• Avoiding bad habits like opening plastic packaging with your teeth
• Protecting your restoration with a mouthguard when playing sports

To see if you’re a candidate for crowns and bridges, make an appointment at Fair Lakes Family Dentistry by calling the office today or clicking the online booking feature.

*Individual results may vary.