Opal Family Dental | Family & Cosmetic Dentistry | Glen Mills, PA

Crowns and Bridges

There are many options to help restore your perfect smile. Is your smile held back by broken, chipped, or missing teeth?  We offer beautiful porcelain crowns and bridges to restore the appearance of your smile, help alleviate the stress while chewing and help maintain the shape of the face. Dental crowns are the most popular method of replacing missing teeth and restoring damaged teeth. Dental bridges also serve the same function and bridges gap between one or more teeth. 

What are dental crowns?

Crowns are cap-shaped dental restorations that act as replacements for missing teeth and as cosmetic enhancers. They help to improve appearance and aesthetics of the mouth, thereby giving the patient a fuller smile. Crowns come in different types: All-metal, Ceramic-on-metal, and all-ceramic. The type of crown used usually depends on where the restoration is required. Patients would opt for ceramic crowns in the more visible areas of their teeth.

What are dental bridges?

Dental bridges are a way to replace missing teeth. Bridges are recommended for patients who’d want to replace teeth without undergoing surgeries or dentures. A bridge can be composed of two crowns for teeth on either side of the missing tooth (traditional bridges). Traditional bridges can be made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics. They can be supported by natural teeth, implants, or a combination of both.

Advantages of crowns and bridges

  • Durability
  • Aesthetics
  • Enhance appearance, shape, and alignment of teeth
  • Restore cracked, broken, or decayed teeth
  • Eliminate pain or discomfort
  • Offer both functional and aesthetic correction
  • Reduce the risk of bone loss
  • Prevent shifting of teeth and the formation of unnecessary gaps.

When you come in for a bridge,

  • Your teeth will be reduced to ensure proper fit.
  • An impression of your bite will be taken, which will be used to fabricate a mold of a bridge. 
  • Color of the bridge will be matched to the natural color of your teeth if you choose porcelain prosthesis.

Your teeth will need some time to heal. With proper cleaning and regular dental check-ups, crowns and bridges can last for many many years.