Dental crowns and bridges
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General dentistry
Dental crowns & fixed bridges
At Tandestetik Stockholm, we routinely use dental crowns and fixed bridges as replacement methods to replace one or more damaged teeth. The advantage this proven treatment offers you is that your teeth will look and function like your original teeth and bring them back to their full natural looking glory, thus enhancing your smile and boosting your self-confidence. A dental crown is the solution applied for replacing one tooth, while a fixed bridge is the solution used to replace several teeth.
Dental crowns
We in Tandestetik Stockholm recommend the use of dental crowns since they are especially effective for patient who are missing a large part of a tooth due to numerous repairs over the years or damaged in some other way. When faced with this eventuality, the damaged tooth will most likely need to be replaced with an artificial tooth, by what is known in the dental world as a dental crown.
The procedure’s first phase consists of grinding the tooth to create the necessary space for the new dental crown, which is then made to perfectly match the color and shape of your natural teeth. The crown can be made of various materials, with the most common being a combination of porcelain and metal or all-ceramic materials.
When we find that the damaged tooth lacks sufficient structure for the dental crown and is root-filled, it is sometimes necessary to attach a pillar to the root. The crown is then attached to the pillar that is either made of metal or a ceramic material. When everything fits, the crown is fixed by using a dental cement that holds the crown in place.
Detailed steps for placing a dental crown
It usually takes two visits to Tandestetik Stockholm to complete your treatment and the steps are:
- We prepare your tooth by removing the outer portion, including any decay, in order to permit the crown to fit in your existing set of teeth. When additional tooth structure is needed to support your new crown, we might need to build up the core of the tooth on which we are performing the treatment.
- We make an impression of your tooth to create its exact model. We can make the impression either through the use of a mold or by digitally scanning the tooth.
- To protect your tooth while the permanent crown is being made, a temporary crown is placed on the core thus avoiding any discomfort. Making your permanent crown usually takes 1 week.
- When the permanent crown is ready, we place it in your mouth and make any necessary adjustments. When you and we at Tandestetik Stockholm, are satisfied with how the new crown looks and feels, it is then permanently cemented into place.
Fixed bridges
If you are unfortunate and lose multiple teeth due to injury or gum disease, and implants do not provide us with what we consider as a viable, long-term option, we can often create a permanent bridge to restore your smile. The bridge will fill the gap in your denture, while often reinforcing and preventing the potential repositioning of your remaining teeth. The adjacent teeth, which need to be healthy, are used as the support and attachment for your fixed bridge. The support teeth are ground in a way similar to when making a dental crown.
The dental, or fixed bridge, typically consists of two or more specially fitted crowns that are placed on the abutment, or anchoring teeth, on either side of the space that is formed by your missing tooth or teeth. Fixed bridges are strong and reliable and in our experience, most often feel and look very much like natural teeth. That is their great advantage for our patients.
Bridges are safe and have been used as an integral part of modern dentistry since the early part of the last century. This proven method is still viable today and provides in some cases advantages over dental implants. For reference, Tandestetik Stockholm is moving with current trends in the dental sector and consequently have a preference for dental implants, which are now the tooth restoration treatment method of choice for most of the dental profession today.
Definitions: The pontic’s are the false teeth that fill gaps between the abutment teeth, and they generally consist of materials such as gold, porcelain alloys, or a combination of materials. The anchor teeth can be your natural teeth or implants and they act as the support for your bridge.
When constructing a dental bridge, two healthy abutment teeth are necessary. Their preparation includes contouring and reshaping by removing the necessary tooth enamel to provide the space required for a crown to be mounted on top of the remaining tooth stub.
The removal of your anchor teeth’s original shape and structure is the main disadvantage inherent to traditional dental bridge designs, because it results in the loss of significant amounts of healthy tooth tissue which can then potentially weaken the tooth, thus reducing its overall longevity. On the other hand, bridge restorations that are designed and supported exclusively by dental implants, are beneficial to the adjacent natural teeth, which will not be affected by the treatment.
Fixed bridges are robust and reliable and generally feel and look like natural teeth and can last from five to fifteen years, and if they remain stable, even longer. The longevity of your new dental bridge will be highly dependent on your personal oral hygiene, which preferably should be regular and thorough.
Disadvantages of Dental Bridges
It is important to be aware of the downsides of dental, or fixed bridges. If and when something goes seriously wrong with one of your abutment teeth, your entire dental bridge runs the risk of being entirely compromised. Such an instance could include for example the development of a deep cavity, infection or periodontal (gum) disease with either of the supporting teeth. This can result in you losing the entire bridge. Therefore considerations such as the space available, design, fit and loading capacity, along with a diagnosis of whether a bridge is feasible are critical to your dental well-being.
A common error made when making a dental bridge is that their often too long. The longer the span of the bridge, the more force is placed on the abutment teeth. This excessive force can cause intolerable stress on the adjoining abutment teeth. That is why Tandestetik Stockholm carefully considers the biting forces, relative to your dynamic occlusion as well as your diet and types of foods you eat in determining the safest and most durable solution for your comfort and well-being.
We believe the biggest disadvantage with dental bridges is the tooth preparation, especially when dealing with young teeth that have been subjected to little or no restorations whatsoever. Tandestetik Stockholm prefers not touching and preparing these virgin teeth to act as abutments, because recent studies increasingly indicate that these young teeth will most likely need root canal therapy in the future. Taking away a lot of the enamel from your tooth can lead to an inflammation of the nerve, which can cause sensitivity or pain.
Some of the key advantages of dental bridges:
- Dental bridges are most often small, lightweight, and feature excellent chewing comfort
- They will likely correct and redistribute the normal bite force that has been compromised by your missing teeth
- Getting used to your new dental bridge is proven to be easy, comfortable and rapid
- A dental bridge assists in maintaining the shape of your face
- Controls shifting and moving of the adjoining teeth thus stabilizing your existing denture
- Enhances your natural speaking allowing to better pronounce words and also improves your eating ability
- Only 2-3 appointments are usually required to complete your bridge restoration
The longevity factor is favorable when your oral hygiene is maintained at a heightened level.
What are the advantages of dental bridges over dental implants?
This is a key question that we at Tandestetik Stockholm consider whenever faced with the question whether to use dental implants or not. The following paragraphs attempt to illustrate our considerations and evaluation process.
Two broken down teeth are adjacent to the space that needs a bridge
This is a classic example of why a dental bridge should be considered because both = these teeth require crowns to protect them from future damage, disease or decay. The long-term health and functionality of the teeth will require that we examine them thoroughly to carefully reach the correct diagnosis. They need to be stable with sufficiently strong roots, and it is vital that there remains a sufficient amount of tooth to support the new bridge.
Esthetics may also guide Tandestetik Stockholm’s decision to opt for a traditional bridge as opposed to an implant. In can also happen that placing an implant can negatively impact the surrounding gum in the event you are suffering from low gum height.
Patients possessing a very high and visible smile line need to carefully consider both possibilities, i.e. dental bridges or dental implants.
When we are faced with a failed implant, opting for a bridge is preferable.
Another key advantage we find with dental bridges is speed. A standard bridge can be completed in as little as 2-3 days whereas a dental implant takes a minimum of 2 months for the bone and implant to integrate fully. This is fact of dentistry: implants require time and you can’t rush the process. As a point of safety, any solution that is offered to you that provides you with implants within days should be carefully considered.
Another sensible reason why installing dental bridges is related to a patient’s own health condition and concerns. Cancer, diabetes and certain medications or autoimmune disease preclude the use of implant or other larger surgical procedures. Other considerations include a unique oral condition that may cause you not want to engage in a complex bone reconstruction or implant surgery.
In the event you have little bone to support the implant and will require an extensive bone grafting procedure in order to safely support any implant, dental bridges prove to be a safe alternative. The more extensive the grafting procedure, the higher the risk of a graft and/or implant rejection.
Tandestetik Stockholm minimizes risks and indeed eliminates them through careful planning and in any event the procedures are expertly performed with care by our experienced and highly capable dentists.
Bridges supported by implants
You can support a bridge on implants when there is no anchoring teeth. Be aware that the failure to thoroughly clean the area around your implants can lead to premature bone loss.
Conclusion:
- The long-term stability of your bridge depends on your remaining surrounding teeth to stay strong and healthy.
- Until you are used to your new bridge, consuming soft foods or chewing small morsels is always recommended.
- Refrain from eating sugary or other unhealthy foods, since it will encourage the accumulation of plaque and unwanted bacterial decay on your anchor teeth.
- Always maintain a high level of oral hygiene in order to maintain bridge stability.
