Restorative Dentistry in Gilbert: What You Need to Know About 21st Century Dental Work (Conclusion)

As a dentist in Gilbert, I often get asked a lot of questions: What’s the difference between a bridge and a crown?  Why do I need a crown? Isn’t a filling enough?  All of these are good questions and they will be answered in portion of our article.  So let’s get started…

Your Dentist in Gilbert Can Help Bring Your Smile Back With Restorative Dentistry | (480) 503-5467

What’s the Difference Between a Bridge and a Crown?

As we covered previously, sometimes a tooth is too far gone to save.  But what about cases where it is not only possible to save the tooth, but improve it with a bridge or a crown.
What’s the difference between a bridge and a crown?  I’ll go one better on this question.   What’s the difference between a bridge, a filling, and a crown? Let’s start with fillings.  According to Colgate.com:
“A filling is a way to restore a tooth damaged by decay back to its normal function and shape. When a dentist gives you a filling, he or she first removes the decayed tooth material, cleans the affected area, and then fills the cleaned out cavity with a filling material.
By closing off spaces where bacteria can enter, a filling also helps prevent further decay. Materials used for fillings include gold, porcelain, a composite resin (tooth-colored fillings), and an amalgam (an alloy of mercury, silver, copper, tin and sometimes zinc).” [VIEW SOURCE]
A bridge is the next step up. A bridge covers space caused by teeth that have been extracted. And a crown is similar in function to a tooth, but it covers the whole tooth instead of the central section. A crown does a bit more than a filling however. A crown can be used to reinforce a cracked or weak tooth. It can also restore a tooth that has been worn down as well. Crowns can also be used for cosmetic purposes and can cover a misshapen or discolored tooth.
So in answer to the questions above: why do I need a crown? Isn’t a filling enough? Sometimes, a filling is necessary, sometimes a crown is. Your Gilbert dentist can help with that. All of these forms of dental work fit into the area of cosmetic dentistry.

Do You Really Need Cosmetic Dentistry?

A lot of people think that getting any sort of cosmetic work, including cosmetic dentistry is vanity in action, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, dental work is necessary for a professional appearance, or to help a patient become more confident.
It’s an old saying that a smile and a handshake can open more doors than a key can. The handshake is up to you. As for your smile, well, why not schedule an appointment with your Gilbert dentist.
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Gilbert Vista Dental Care
2451 East Baseline Road #210
Gilbert, AZ 85234
(480) 503-5467
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