Attractive Dental Crowns and Bridges – Tuscaloosa, Northport, and Surrounding Areas

Dental crowns and bridges are excellent options for patients who are missing a tooth (or several teeth) or who have a badly damaged tooth.  These treatments are used frequently in restorative dentistry to fill in gaps and restore functioning to the smile.  Fikes & Wagner Family provides attractive dental crowns and bridges for patients in Tuscaloosa, Northport, Carrolton, Eutaw, Greensboro, and surrounding areas.  These tooth replacement options are remarkably natural looking, non-invasive, and relatively inexpensive, and they can restore function to your mouth.  Contact our office today for more information. 

Dental Crowns
Dental Bridges

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped shell used to cover and protect a cracked, chipped, or badly discolored tooth.  Crowns are also used to cover a tooth after root canal therapy, anchor dental bridges, and cap dental implants.  Depending on the location of the tooth in the mouth, a crown is crafted of ceramic material, metal, or porcelain fused to metal.
 

Placement of Dental Crowns

It typically takes two office visits to place a dental crown.  The dentist begins both visits by administering a local anesthetic.  During the first appointment, the dentist shaves down a small portion of the tooth (and, if necessary, the surrounding teeth) to accommodate the crown.  Then he takes an impression of the teeth and mouth, which he sends to the dental laboratory that will custom-craft the crown.  Finally, he places an attractive temporary crown, which the patient wears until the permanent one is ready (usually about a week), at which point the patient returns for the second visit.  In this visit, the dentist gently removes the temporary crown before bonding the permanent one to the tooth.  He then assures its fit with the surrounding teeth and bite. 

When a crown is used to cover a dental implant, it is usually placed about a month after surgery.  When a crown is used to cover a tooth after root canal therapy, the dentist performs the root canal procedure and reduces the tooth structure in the same appointment. 

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is used to fill in the gap left by a missing tooth.  A bridge is composed of a dental crown and a metal bridge on either side of the crown.  The bridge is bonded to the natural teeth on either side of the gap; these teeth are usually covered with a crown for enhanced stability.  There are several types of bridges, each of which can be used to fill the gap left by one missing tooth or several teeth in a row. 

Placement of Dental Bridges

Like the placement of dental crowns, placing a dental bridge typically requires two office visits, each of which the dentist begins by administering a local anesthetic.  The first visit is similar to that of dental crowns placement in that the dentist reduces the natural teeth to which the bridge will adhere, takes a mold of the teeth and mouth, sends this mold to the dental laboratory, and places temporary caps.  In the second visit, the dentist removes the caps and places the dental crowns.  He then bonds the bridge to these crowns and assures its proper fit.  With proper upkeep, a dental bridge can last for five years or longer. 

Contact Fikes & Wagner Family

Contact Fikes & Wagner Family to learn more about restoring functionality and aesthetics to your smile with dental crowns and bridges.  We serve Tuscaloosa, Northport, and surrounding communities including Brookwood, Centreville, and Moundville.