A chipped or cracked tooth does a lot to impact the overall look of your smile. A missing tooth? Even more so. Ultimately, you want a full set of even, straight, bright teeth. And if something is getting in the way of that, your dentist can help.
At his office in the University Park neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, Scott Evans, DDS, offers crowns and bridges. These dental restorations allow him to correct a wide variety of problems with the way your teeth look and function. Plus, Dr. Evans specializes in cosmetic dentistry, so you can rest easy knowing he can help you reach your smile goals with bridges and crowns.
First, though, it’s helpful to understand how each of these restorative options works because there are some key differences between them.
Crowns 101
Dental crowns work by capping a problem tooth, protecting and preserving the tooth underneath while giving you a beautiful-looking, normally functioning tooth. Dr. Evans might recommend a crown if your tooth:
- Has a lot of decay
- Is cracked
- Has a significant chip
- Is noticeably misshapen
- Is at risk of breaking
The crown allows Dr. Evans to move you toward your cosmetic goals while also protecting your natural tooth. He can use a crown to restore your tooth if you’ve had a root canal or a sizable filling, for example. He can also use crowns to cover aesthetically flawed teeth, giving you a way to correct serious smile imperfections.
Beyond that, Dr. Evans also uses crowns to anchor dental bridges.
The basics of bridges
A dental bridge provides a way to fill a gap in your smile. Unlike a dental implant, a bridge doesn’t require oral surgery. But unlike a denture, a bridge isn’t removable, which means you don’t have to worry about it shifting in your mouth or feeling uncomfortable.
The bridge consists of your artificial replacement tooth or teeth connected to a crown. Bridges can also be anchored to dental implants.
If you have teeth on both sides of the gap in your smile, Dr. Evans puts a crown over the abutting teeth on both ends to secure the bridge in place. If you only have a tooth on one side of the gap — for example, if you’re missing a back molar — Dr. Evans can secure the bridge with a crown over the nearby tooth.
The bottom line: Bridges give you a way to fill in spaces in your smile, while crowns can anchor bridges, protect damaged teeth, and fix cosmetic issues.
To learn which option is best for your smile, don’t hesitate to book an appointment with Dr. Evans. Call our office at 214-337-5202 to schedule your visit today.
