Crowns and Bridges in San Diego, CA

Dental crowns and bridges are two restorative treatments that can transform your smile from dull to dazzling in just a few short visits to the dentist. If you're looking for a way to enhance your oral health and boost your confidence, then crowns and bridges can benefit you! 

What Are Dental Crowns and Bridges?

Dental crowns and bridges are two types of dental restorations that can help repair or replace damaged teeth. A crown is essentially a cap that covers the entire tooth, restoring its shape, size, and strength. Crowns may be recommended for a variety of reasons, such as to protect a weak tooth from breaking or to cover a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy.

While a bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth. It consists of an artificial tooth (or teeth) attached to adjacent natural teeth using cemented crowns. This creates a solid structure that fills in the gap left by missing teeth.

Both crowns and bridges can be made from various materials such as porcelain or metal alloys like gold. The choice of material will depend on factors like the location within your mouth and personal preference.

How Are Dental Crowns and Bridges Placed?

The process of placing dental crowns and bridges involves several steps. Before the procedure begins, your dentist in San Diego will numb the area with a local anesthetic to ensure that you feel no pain during the procedure.

For dental crowns, once the area is numb, your dentist will prepare the tooth by removing any decay or damage. They will then shape the tooth to create room for the crown. Digital impressions are then taken of your teeth and sent to a lab where they will create a custom crown that matches your natural teeth. In some cases, temporary crowns may be placed until your permanent crown is ready. Once ready, your dentist will cement it onto your prepared tooth.

Bridges require similar preparation as dental crowns but involve multiple teeth instead of just one. The adjacent teeth on either side of the gap left by missing teeth are prepared similarly to those receiving a crown. Impressions are also taken and sent off to have custom-fitted bridges created. Once complete, these prosthetics can fill gaps between teeth caused by missing or damaged ones while providing support for surrounding healthy structures like gums and bones.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Crowns and Bridges?

Dental crowns and bridges are excellent options for patients who require restorative dentistry procedures. Not only do they provide a natural-looking smile, but they also offer many functional benefits to improve oral health.

Some of the key advantages of dental crowns and bridges include restoring the ability to chew properly, improving speech clarity, protecting against further tooth decay or gum disease, preventing shifting or loosening of other teeth, and enhancing overall confidence in one's appearance.

Dr. Le and Dr. Rhoades in San Diego have helped many patients improve the appearance of their smiles through various dental procedures. Call (619) 220-8545 today to schedule an appointment at our office.