Crowns and Bridges

Crowns and bridges can restore your biting and chewing abilities, if you have damaged, decaying, or missing teeth. At her dental practice, located in Midland, Texas, experienced general and cosmetic dentist Ashley Burns, DDS, and her team regularly use crowns and bridges to repair permanent teeth and encourage optimal oral health. Call the practice of Ashley Burns, DDS, today to request a crown and bridge consultation or make your appointment online.

What are crowns and bridges?

Crowns and bridges restore damaged, decaying, or missing teeth. They’re similar but have distinct differences:

Crowns

A crown covers the entire portion of enamel above your gumline. It restores your tooth’s shape and size while preventing further damage.

Bridges

A bridge fills a gap in your smile. There are four types of dental bridges, but all of them have an artificial tooth and a supportive framework. The artificial tooth fills the gap in your smile and the supportive framework (made of metal or crowns) holds the bridge in place.

After an oral exam, your dentist can determine the type of restoration that will benefit you.

When are crowns and bridges needed?

The Ashley Burns, DDS team uses crowns to:

• Protect weak teeth
• Restore broken or severely worn down teeth
• Secure dental bridges in place
• Cover dental implants
• Cover teeth treated with root canal therapy
• Support a tooth with a large filling

Dental bridges, on the other hand, replace a single tooth lost to extraction, trauma, or poor oral hygiene. 

What does getting crowns and bridges involve?

At the practice of Ashley Burns, DDS, getting a crown or a bridge takes two visits spaced several weeks apart.

Process of getting a crown

Your dentist completes an oral exam and takes X-rays. You qualify for a crown if you have a damaged or severely decaying tooth.

Your dentist carefully removes the compromised portion of your tooth enamel and takes impressions of your tooth. Then, they send your impressions to a lab that manufactures a custom dental crown.

A week or two later, when your crown is finished, you return to the practice of Ashley Burns, DDS. Your dentist bonds the crown on top of your tooth, restoring its size and appearance.

Process of getting a bridge

Your dentist completes an oral exam and takes digital X-rays. Then, they prepare the teeth on either side of the gap in your smile to receive the bridge. 

Your dentist takes digital scans of your teeth and sends them to a lab. Technicians use your scans to manufacture a custom bridge. 

When your bridge is ready, you return to the practice of Ashley Burns, DDS. Your dentist bonds the bridge in place, restoring your smile to a healthy and vibrant condition.

Call the practice of Ashley Burns, DDS today to see if you’re a candidate for crowns and bridges, or make your appointment online.