Places like this make you miss home. You’re out of town for work, but your heart, or actually, your stomach is still in Kansas City. Other BBQ places try their hardest to replicate the local style around the country, but they just can’t get the sauce right. There’s too much sugar, you think to yourself. You look down at your plate of ribs and pause. These are usually one of your favorites, but your teeth are in desperate need of repair. You’ll do it first thing when you get home, you think to yourself. Your mom and dad had their teeth repaired with dental crowns and a dental bridge in Kansas City, but you can’t remember what those actually are. They both work, but what makes them different? Which one would work for you?
Dental Crowns
Broken, missing, or decayed teeth can be fixed in a number of ways. Two of the most common ways are with dental crowns and dental bridges. They both serve to repair and restore teeth, but do so in different ways. The decision to do either one of them is dependent on your particular situation. A dental crown is a metal or porcelain restoration that fits over the top of your tooth. This is intended to revitalize the structure of a tooth that has been damaged. The process for getting a dental crown involves 3 steps
- Dr. Byars will remove any damaged part of the tooth and take an impression of the remaining enamel
- An outside lab will construct your crown based upon this impression
- You’ll come back to the office to have your crown placed on your tooth
Crowns can fully restore the structure and appearance of a tooth. Porcelain crowns are specially colored to match the shade of the surrounding teeth. The whole process is done in 2 visits and takes about a week in between.
Dental Bridges
While a crown is intended to restore a single tooth, a bridge can replace a row of missing teeth. It accomplishes this by placing an artificial tooth, or pontic, in between two supportive teeth, called abutments. These abutment teeth will be cemented to the pontic tooth ensuring a firm hold you can trust. Dr. Byars may have to place crowns on either of the abutment teeth depending on their condition. If there are no abutment teeth, he may suggest dental implants in order to create them. The process for getting a bridge is very similar to getting a crown and involves 3 steps:
- Byars will prepare the abutment teeth so they can support the pontic tooth. He will then take an impression
- A lab will use this impression to construct your bridge
- Byars will place the bridge into your mouth
If you are lacking the appropriate structure to support a bridge, Dr. Byars might also suggest a partial or full set of dentures.
Which One Is Right For Me?
Generally, a crown is made to replace one tooth while a bridge is intended to replace multiple. Dr. Byars will need to examine your teeth and the surrounding structures to determine which path is right for you. Regardless, both procedures are extremely reliable and practically painless. Call Dr. Byars today so you can start restoring your smile.