What Is a Dental Crown in Catoosa OK Exactly?

A dental crown is nothing more than a cap that goes over a particular tooth. A crown is very important for protecting a tooth that has been damaged in some way. For example, if your tooth is severely decayed, cracked, or otherwise damaged, it will be very uncomfortable to have in your mouth. 

This is because the tooth enamel for that tooth is not thick enough to protect the sensitive nerves and blood vessels on the inside of that tooth. As a result, anything that contacts the tooth will result in pain and sensitivity. You might wonder why you would opt for a crown when you could get the tooth extracted instead. 

Tooth extraction can be harmful to your overall oral health, and many dentists prefer to avoid this procedure. It can also be painful and lead to more dental problems later in life. However, you can avoid these problems if you get a dental crown instead. 

A dental crown will act like a suit of armor for your damaged tooth. That way, you will be able to chew food and speak without being interrupted by dental pain. Before you get your dental crown, your dentist will need to check if you're a good candidate. 

What You Need to Know

If you have serious dental issues at the time of the appointment, such as a tooth infection or gum disease, you won't be a good candidate for a dental crown. You will first need to get those problems fixed with other dental services before you can get a crown, otherwise, those problems will only continue to get worse. 

When it's time to get your crowns, your dentist will first need to sand down your remaining tooth. It is important that your real tooth be sanded down into a small nub; otherwise, the crown won't be able to fit over your tooth. Roughening the surface of your tooth will also make it much easier for the crown to fit and stay put. 

There are many different crowns you can choose from. Porcelain crowns are the most popular because they are so durable and also look very realistic. However, the downside is that they can be quite expensive.

There are also composite resin crowns that look similar. They are much more affordable, but they are not as durable as porcelain. 

A dental bridge is similar to a dental crown, but it involves the replacement of several teeth at once. A bridge is usually connected to a crown on one side, if not both sides so that it is anchored in place once the dentist installs it into your mouth. This is usually the case if you are missing several teeth in one location of your mouth. 

However, if you still have some healthy teeth left in your mouth, your dentist may instead anchor the bridge to one of your real teeth. You might be wondering why you would opt for a dental bridge when you could get dentures instead. The problem with dentures is that you cannot have any teeth left in your mouth to get them. 

If you do have some remaining healthy teeth, your dentist will need to remove them. Otherwise, the dentures will not fit in your mouth in the proper way. If you're not interested in removing your remaining teeth, dental bridges will be the perfect solution for you.

The Details of Dental Bridges

Before you get your dental bridge, you will first need to get impressions of your teeth. Your dentist will do this, and the impressions will help determine what your bridge should look like and how it should fit in your mouth.

That way, the bridge will be as comfortable as possible, and you won't have any trouble chewing food or speaking. 

There are actually several different types of dental bridges you can choose from. As mentioned before, some are attached to your real teeth while others are attached to crowns.

In some cases, your bridge may be attached to dental implants. 

Once your dentist installs the dental bridge, it should not move around and it should be very sturdy. Besides restoring your dental function, you will find that it will also greatly improve your smile. It will also keep any remaining teeth you have from shifting around your mouth and creating other dental problems. 

Crowns and bridges from your dentist in Catoosa, OK, can do a world of good when it comes to improving your dental health. Not only can crowns and bridges improve your dental function, but they will also improve the aesthetics of your smile. 

To learn more about these procedures, click here.