Benefits & Risks of Crowns & Bridges

Benefits of Dental Crowns and Bridges

Some of the benefits of dental crowns include protection against further decay or erosion of damaged teeth and an improved looking smile. A crown can help to hide that badly chipped tooth or unsightly looking front teeth. Dental crowns can restore self-confidence and an attractive smile, but there are also significant medical benefits to be gained from dental crowns.

In cases where a patient's teeth have been subject to decay or damage, they could become breeding grounds for oral bacteria, which can lead to other diseases and oral hygiene issues. Having a tooth restored via a dental crown can alleviate this danger. Aside from having a full dental cleaning, a dental crown in the right place can ensure that a patient's teeth will not be vulnerable to debilitating oral issues.

Likewise, bridges can restore a patient's smile and restore a patient's ability to properly chew and speak, both of which can be affected by missing teeth. Effective bridge treatment can help a patient maintain the shape of their face and properly distribute the forces in their bite by replacing missing teeth. Bridges can also prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position in a patient's mouth.

Possible Complications

The most common potential complication with a dental crown is the risk that it might come loose and detach from the tooth it covers. Most crowns are designed to last for many years but sometimes they can become dislodged prematurely. Dental crowns are constructed from a variety of materials, including porcelain, metal alloys and porcelain fused with metal. Zirconia crowns present a higher risk for complications like fracture or breaking than do metal bonded crowns.

Like crowns, a bridge must fit the supporting teeth tightly. Cleaning the bridge can be difficult and the teeth supporting the bridge may decay or be at risk for gum disease. Sometimes a bridge may become dislodged. This can occur due to a variety of factors but the size, shape, and relationship of the bridge to opposing teeth may create possible problems in certain patients.