Many people may be confused as to what the differences are between dental crowns, bridges, implants and partial dentures. Knowing what they are will allow you to start the process of deciding what type of Cosmetic Dentistry Tulsa OK is best suited for your needs.
Crown – A crown covers a tooth 360 degrees and may be made out of metal, porcelain or a combination of the two. A tooth will be crowned if it has a cavity that has become too large, if part of the tooth is fractured, or if you’ve had a root canal. A dentist will shape the tooth to receive the crown and then will take a very accurate mold of the tooth. The crown is made to fit the shape of the tooth and then glued into place with a special dental cement.
Implant – When a tooth is so decayed or broken that it needs to be extracted, a dental implant can be used to fill in the area of the removed tooth. Implants are usually made from titanium, and are anchored in the bone through a minor surgery. After the area has healed, a custom-fitted crown is placed on the top. Implants are a great option to replace a missing tooth, or several teeth. Click here for more details.
Bridge – If an implant isn’t the best option for missing teeth, mostly when the patient doesn’t have enough bone to support the implant, the best option is a dental bridge. The bridge uses neighboring teeth as supports for a fake tooth suspended between them. The procedure is similar to a crown as the neighboring teeth are shaped to receive the bridge, a mold is taken of the teeth, and the bridge is made and then glued into place with dental cement.
Partial Denture – If an implant or bridge procedure isn’t the best recourse, then a partial denture made out of plastic or metal will be the last option. They clip onto your real teeth while filling the empty spaces with false teeth. While a cheaper option, maintenance is high as they need to be removed every day for cleaning. They are also not as aesthetically pleasing and their lifespan is shorter than implants or bridges.
If you need Cosmetic Dentistry Tulsa OK, Southard Dental performs the full range of cosmetic dental procedures described above as well as general and preventative dentistry.
