Three-unit bridge replaces missing teeth
When a tooth is missing, a three-unit bridge can be a good choice for replacing it. In a three-unit bridge, an artificial tooth is connected on each end to crowns. The crowns are placed over the neighboring teeth to hold the bridge in place. A three-unit bridge can be made of gold, porcelain, or porcelain fused-to-metal.
The benefits of a three-unit bridge
Three-unit bridges have several advantages. They:
- Replace teeth for biting and chewing
- Assist in clear speech
- Help prevent teeth from shifting
- Are supported by crowns that can serve as restorations for neighboring teeth that have damage or decay.
When you need to replace a missing tooth, a three-unit bridge can be a functional, good-looking solution.
Placing a three-unit bridge
A three-unit bridge is custom-made for you in a dental laboratory, so it may take two or more appointments to complete your bridge. On your first visit, we numb the area to keep you comfortable. We may also use a rubber dam to protect your mouth and throat while we work.
For further information about this topic, or any other dental topic, contact Dr Slootsky at info@drslootsky.com, or call 954-972-1000
Porcelain crowns have a wide variety of uses
Some of these uses are – teeth lightening, gap narrowing, fix teeth that stick out, reduce crowding in the mouth. Their versatility means that they are used as a fix for a lot of potential problems that patients may be having.
Apart from fixing tooth problems, they can also be used to improve the outward appearance of the teeth. For those that are insecure about the appearance of their teeth or their smile, porcelain crowns can be a one-fix-for-all-problems solution.
To fit the crowns, a thin layer is shaved off teeth that are to receive treatment, and this prepares them for the crowns. On the patient’s first visit of the treatment a mould is taken of their teeth in order to get the perfect shape for the next session. The crowns are then bonded onto the teeth using a bonding material of some sort. Once the bonding has taken place, which will normally take one session at the dentist, the patient’s can eat as normal.
Crowns are very popular because they have an excellent history of fixing dental issues, and their track record is proven to work in all countries in the world. Up until quite recently, crowns were bonded to the tooth using a metal-based framework so that the crown could withstand the pressures involved with daily chewing of food in the mouth. Today, most of the time the metal framework is not required, since modern technology has advanced up to the point where pure porcelain is strong enough even for use on hard working molar teeth. The metal framework had an issue – after a few years the gum line of a patient would recede with age, revealing an ugly grey line at the top of the crowned tooth. Due to the color of the metal showing through, it was difficult to make crowned teeth look natural for more than a few years.
The advantage of using pure porcelain is that the crowns are near identical in color to the existing colors of the patient’s teeth, making it nigh on impossible for others to discern a crowned tooth from a real one. A dentist will match the color of the crown to the tooth color already in the mouth, and then they will place an order with a lab to create the tooth with the perfect color and shape, taken from the previously mentioned mold, and patients are very happy with the results, and their new smile.
For further information about this topic, or any other dental topic, contact Dr Slootsky at info@drslootsky.com, or call 954-972-1000
