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Something to Smile About

The primary goal in dentistry is to restore teeth to their normal form, beauty, and proper function. Two dental techniques are widely used to restore damaged, imperfect and missing teeth; crowns restore teeht that have been damaged, disfigured or discolored, and the fixed bridge serves to replace a missing tooth or teeth.

Teeth may be damaged by decay, breakage, abrasion (wearing), periodontal disease, trauma or imperfect development. A custom-fit crown is cemented over a specially shaped tooth base. The crown is usually made of gold, porcelain or a combination of both materials.

Fixed bridges replace missing teeth. They are usually made of gold or, where appearance is important, porcelain-faced gold.

Are Restorations Necessary?

Your smile can be a wonderful asset that reflects self-confidence if you are confortable with it. If not, you may find yourself actually avoiding wide smiles or grins. Some people even cover their mouth when they smile or laugh.

A confident smile is related to sociall or occupational success because first impressions really do mean a lot.

But aside from enhancing your appearance, restorations preserve the function and natural life of your teeth.

When a Tooth is Missing

Often many people who lose a back tooth are inclined to do nothing to replace it. After all, the tooth never was visible. Unfortunately, losing a tooth can start a vicious cycle of destruction.

In a normal, healthy mouth, your teeth have a natural balance. Each upper tooth contacts the corresponding lower tooth, allowing for a well-balanced chewing function. Each tooth also has neighboring teeth, in addition to one or two biting partners in the opposite arch. these companion teeth provide support and stability. Losing a tooth quickly destroys this balance.

Drifting, shifting, periodontal disease and abnormal decay areas are some of the problems that can occur when your tooth loses the support of a companion. Statistics suggest that this neighbor tooth will be lost next. Then, the next closest neighbor is subjected to the same conditions. With each lost tooth, the problems are magnified.

How is a Fixed Bridge Attached?

Fixed bridges are attached to abutment teeth. Dental restorations, called abutment inlays or crowns, fasten the bridge to the abutment teeth. The pontic is the portion of the bridge which actually replaces the missing tooth. The pontic is soldered to the abutment inlays or crowns. Then the completed fixed bridge (crown abutments and pontic) is cemented in place.

The Porcelain Veneer Crown

In construction a crown, especially when the tooth will be visible in the smile, the most natural and durable restoration is porcelain fused to metal (either gold or non-precious). A metal provides strength and the porcelain strength and beauty.

Because of its strength, beauty and resistance to chewing stress, a porcelain veneer crown rivals that of your original tooth structure. A metal thimble provides strength and durability. The dental porcelain, veneered to the thimble, is extremely hard, highly reflective and color-stable. Porcelain is much less porous than enamel, so the veneers are more stain-resistant.

Because dental porcelain is color-stable, porcelain veneer crowns will not change color with time.

The Life of Your Restoration

The phrase "nothing lasts forever" is especially true for dental restorations. Many restorations can last for 10, 20 or more years and improvements in materials are being made constantly. However, food oral hygiene and regular professional care are needed to maintain and achieve the longest possible use of any type of restoration.