What are Dental Crowns and Tooth Bridges?

Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices. Unlike removable devices such as dentures, which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.

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How do Crowns Work?

A crown is used to entirely cover or "cap" a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. These alloys are generally stronger than porcelain and may be recommended for back teeth. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive.

Dentist at Evershine usually recommend a crown to:

• Replace a large filling when there isn't enough tooth 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

 

How do Bridges Work?

A bridge may be recommended if you're missing one or more teeth. Gaps left by missing teeth eventually cause the remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can also lead to gum disease and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space. These teeth, called abutments, serve as anchors for the bridge. A replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to the crowns that cover the abutments. As with crowns, you have a choice of materials for bridges. Your dentist can help you decide which to use, based on the location of the missing tooth (or teeth), its function, aesthetic considerations and cost. Porcelain or ceramic bridges can be matched to the color of your natural teeth.

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How are Crowns and Bridges Made?

Before either a crown or a bridge can be made, the tooth (or teeth) must be reduced in size so that the crown or bridge will fit over it properly. After reducing the tooth/teeth, dentist will take an impression to provide an exact mold for the crown or bridge. If porcelain is to be used, dentist will determine the correct shade for the crown or bridge to match the color of your existing teeth.

Using this impression, a dental lab then makes your crown or bridge, in the material dentist specifies. A temporary crown or bridge will be put in place to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent crown or bridge is being made. When the permanent crown or bridge is ready, the temporary crown or bridge is removed, and the new crown or bridge is cemented over your prepared tooth or teeth.

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How Long do Crowns and Bridges Last?

While crowns and bridges can last a lifetime, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown or bridge is to practice good oral hygiene. A bridge can lose its support if the teeth or bone holding it in place are damaged by dental disease. Keep your gums and teeth healthy by Brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing daily. Also take appointment regularly for checkups and professional cleanings.

To prevent damage to your new crown or bridge, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects

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Dental Impressions

Dental impressions are imprints of your teeth, gums and surrounding oral structures. They’re used to create diagnostic models of your mouth, as well as dental restorations, whitening, trays, retainers, mouth guards and more. Dental impressions can be traditional or digital.

What is the difference between traditional dental impressions and digital impressions?

While traditional methods of creating dental impressions involve a putty-like substance that's used to make a mold of a patient's mouth, digital impressions use advanced dental technology to create a digital scan of the teeth, gums, and bite. using device Trios 3 at Evershine Dental Clinic Ghatkopar Mumbai.

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What is a dental impression used for?

Dental impressions are used to create models, or casts, of your mouth. These models show your dentist how your dental arches fit together, as well as the size and relationship of your teeth and gums. Dental impressions are used for a wide range of dental restorations and oral appliances, including:

• Dental crowns.

• Dental bridges.

• Dental implants.

• Porcelain veneers.

• Dentures.

• Clear aligners.

• Retainers.

• Teeth whitening trays.

• Sports mouth guards.

• Night guards (for teeth grinding).

• Sleep apnea oral appliances.

 

What Are Digital Impressions?

So, what are digital impressions? While traditional impressions have been used for a long time, digital impressions are quickly eclipsing them as the preferred method for dentalpractitioners. Digital dental impressions achieve the same end goal as traditional types of dental impressions, just without the gag-inducing goop and uncomfortable trays. 

By utilizing digital dental technology, we can generate 3D images of a patient’s teeth and gums using a handheld wand known as an intraoral scanner or digital impression scanner.  Once this simple process is complete, the images are sent to the dental lab immediately, where the tooth restoration tools can start being made.

Compared to traditional impressions, digital impressions are a lot less invasive. They also take less time to administer—typically just one to two minutes in total.

 

The Digital Dental Impression Process

Using the intraoral scanner, dentists can scan around each tooth. The digital software then stitches the images together to create an accurate impression model of the patient’s mouth. 

That said, the digital impression scanner process is significantly more streamlined than the traditional method. In turn, it boasts many benefits, including:

• Faster impression appointments – Since the digital scanning process is so fast, it can speed up your patients’ appointment times and open up your schedule to take on more business.

• Quicker restoration turnaround times – Digital impression scanner images get sent to the dental lab electronically. As a result, you don’t have to go through the hassle of shipping physical impressions in the mail and paying the associated shipping costs. Your patients can also enjoy a reduced turnaround time in receiving their restorations.

• Enhanced patient experience – No one enjoys gagging on goop during traditional impressions. As a no-gag alternative to dental impressions, digital impressions are much more comfortable for patients. What’s more, many patients are impressed by the technology.

• Improved accuracy – Intraoral scanners capture every small intricacy of the teeth, leading to detailed 3D models. Due to their high level of accuracy, digital impressions lead to better restoration results and significantly fewer redos than traditional impressions.

Simplified expenses – When you take digital impressions, you no longer need to constantly restock your office with costly dental trays, putty materials, and mixing bowls.