Crowns and Bridges
Porcelain crowns and bridges have become a very common dental treatment and cosmetic treatment for the teeth in recent times. While crowns are necessary for providing strength and support to a tooth which has decayed or weakened with age, bridges are used for implanting false teeth to fill in the gaps in the dental structure. In either case, porcelain crowns and bridges have come up as a convenient and effective solution for the dental problems.
Understanding a crown and a bridge
A crown is more like a cap for the tooth which provides support to the tooth and restores it to its original shape and strength. A crown is especially moulded out of gold or porcelain to exactly match the shape of the tooth and is then fixed on to it. A crown is very important for those who suffer from injuries to the tooth which cause the tooth to fracture or break.
Crowns are also used in conjunction with bridges. A Bridge is a dental treatment which is used for literally bridging the gap between teeth by placing a new tooth. This new tooth is supported by a metal structure called the bridge. The adjacent teeth to the bridge are given crowns so that they do not start weakening because of the metallic bridge plate.
Advantages of crowns and bridges
Although crowns and bridges are essentially treatments for different problems, both have their own advantages. Crowns are extremely strong and cover the tooth so perfectly that no one can tell that they are not a part of the natural tooth. They also prevent decay of the tooth over years.
On the other hand, bridges are also advantageous as they are the next best solution after dental implants. Bridges are permanent structures, do not require replacement and are more convenient and cheaper than implants.