Introduction
If you’re dealing with missing teeth, it’s likely that your dental professional has suggested artificial replacements to restore your smile. While removable options like dentures can be taken out to clean them, they often slide around, shift, or even fall out, which is understandably inconvenient for many people.
This is where crowns affixed to dental implants and bridges come in, functioning more like your actual teeth. But when choosing between crown implants and bridges, it can be difficult to figure out which is the best choice.Both options have their similarities, but they also come with distinct differences, advantages, and disadvantages that are worth considering.
These are fixed, artificial tooth options, meaning they’re more stable and permanent compared to the alternatives. Whether you’ve already experienced a fake tooth or are still deciding, you’ll be left with a smile that feels more real than ever.
Comparing Dental Crowns and Bridges
A dental crown is often used to cover a damaged tooth or a decaying tooth. It can also be placed on top of a dental implant to replace a missing tooth. These metal fixtures are surgically fastened to your jawbone under the gums, and through osseointegration, the bone fuses to the metal, providing stable support for everyday activities like eating and speaking.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the healing process after receiving an implant may take between 6-12 weeks, and once it’s healed, a dental professional will attach a metal post (also called an abutment) to the implant to mount the crown.
On the other hand, bridges are designed specifically to replace missing teeth. They typically consist of two crowns placed on either end, with a bridge of replacement teeth in between. This setup can be placed in areas where there is tooth loss by either fusing to existing teeth (which might need to be filed down) or attaching them to dental implants.
These replacement tooth options are essential for oral health, as they prevent gaps that can cause other teeth to shift or rotate, leading to problems like a bad bite or even more serious conditions like gum disease or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
How Do Crowns Work?
A crown is used to cap a damaged tooth, weak tooth, or decaying tooth in order to restore its size, strength, shape, and appearance. If you have a missing tooth, a dental professional may place a dental implant, and then mount the crown on top.
According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, 3 million Americans have dental implants, and that number is growing by 500,000 every year. Crowns are made from various materials like gold alloy and other metal alloys, which are durable and cost effective, though they might not match your other teeth.
Porcelain, acrylic, and ceramic crowns are great alternatives, as they can more closely match natural teeth, with acrylic and ceramic options being very durable. However, porcelain may be prone to chipping or damage, but when porcelain bonded to a metal shell, it adds extra strength while maintaining a tooth like aesthetic.
How Do Bridges Work?
A bridge is designed specifically to replace missing teeth. Unlike crowns, which are used to repair damaged teeth, a bridge works by placing caps on filed down teeth or dental implants at the outer edges of the area where teeth are missing. Between these caps, replacement teeth called pontics span the gap, filling the space where teeth are lost.
When you opt for a bridge, your dental professional will help you choose from various materials based on your individual needs, taking into account factors like visibility, cost, strength, and how the bridge looks in your mouth. Just like with dental crowns, the material you select is important for both appearance and function.
Bridges provide a solid solution for missing teeth, offering not just functional benefits, but also the ability to maintain your oral health. Whether using dental implants or filed down teeth, the bridge acts as a reliable replacement, helping to restore both the function and aesthetic of your smile while considering practical factors like cost and strength.