Crowns & Bridges | Sundance Dental Clinic

Restoring Your Smile & Oral Health

Damaged or missing teeth can affect your day-to-day life, from chewing and speaking to even feeling confident about your smile. It can even lead to jaw discomfort as your muscles try to adjust to the gaps or changes in tooth shape.

Crowns and bridges can help preserve oral health and restore your smile. They may be artificial, but they can look and feel natural. Crowns and bridges are custom-made to fit comfortably and rebuild shape, size, and strength.

Schedule an appointment at Sundance Dental Clinic. We’re all about patient education, and we’ll gladly answer any questions and guide you through the next steps.

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Crowns vs. Bridges: What’s the Difference?

A crown or a “cap” is an artificial tooth. It’s hollow and designed to fit snugly over a damaged tooth. The crown shields the tooth from further harm and helps restore its original shape and appearance.

A bridge is a row of artificial teeth anchored by a crown on each end. It fills the gap left by one or more missing teeth. The crowns at each end are secured onto your natural teeth or, alternatively, onto dental implants.

What to Expect When Getting Your Crown

Dentists can use several types of materials to create your dental crown. When deciding on the material for your crown, our dentists at Sundance Dental Clinic will consider several factors:

The location of your tooth
The position of your gum tissue
The function of the tooth that needs the crown
The amount of natural tooth left
The colour of your surrounding teeth

Getting a dental crown at Sundance Dental Clinic is a 2-step process. We’re here to answer any questions and help you maintain your beautiful smile.

Initial Appointment

Your dentist will examine and prepare the tooth that needs the crown. This may involve taking x-rays of the tooth. The dentist will then file down and remove part of the outer layer of the tooth. An impression will be made of your trimmed tooth and the surrounding teeth. A temporary crown will be placed over your tooth to protect it. This appointment usually takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Second Appointment

The impression of your tooth is sent to a lab to create the crown. When the crown is ready, usually within 10 business days, you’ll come back for your second appointment. During this visit, which typically lasts about 45 minutes, your dentist will cement the crown to your tooth.

Types of Dental Bridges

At Sundance Dental Clinic, we offer various types of dental bridges. Your dentist will suggest a suitable option based on the location of the gap and the condition of your teeth, mouth, and gums. Generally, creating your custom-made bridge takes about 10 business days, and the placement procedure is about 2 hours.

If healthy teeth are on either side of a gap, the bridge is attached using 2 crowns. We might recommend dental implants if you lack healthy teeth to support a bridge. An implant is an artificial root placed below the gumline to secure an artificial tooth.

How a Dental Bridge Is Done

If you have healthy teeth on either side of a missing tooth (or teeth), our dentist will gently file down these two healthy teeth to prepare them for the bridge. Next, your dentist will create a model of your teeth by taking impressions (or moulds). This model is used to custom-make your artificial tooth (or teeth) and 2 crowns as one piece.

Once your custom bridge is ready, the crowns are either cemented to your two healthy teeth or attached to your dental implants on each side of the missing tooth (or teeth).

Taking Care of Your Crown or Bridge

Crowns and bridges offer durability. When you take good care of them, they can last for 10 years or longer. So, just like you brush and floss your natural teeth daily, it’s important to do the same for your crown or bridge. Remember to avoid biting hard objects or using your teeth as tools.

We recommend regularly visiting your dentist for checkups. During these appointments, we can thoroughly evaluate the condition of your artificial teeth and overall oral health, including your gums, muscles, and surrounding tissues. Our goal is to help you maintain a lasting, beautiful smile.

Restore the Fullness of Your Smile

At Sundance Dental Clinic, we’re all about preserving your smile. Crowns and bridges offer a chance to restore more than how your smile looks. Whether there’s a gap in your grin or a cavity causing discomfort, restorative dentistry can refresh your smile and support your overall oral health.

For comprehensive dental care for your entire family, schedule your detailed oral health exam. Let’s talk about how we can provide the support you and your family need.

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