Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Crowns and Bridges

When we do dentistry in our office, Dr. Regan Grizzle wants to make sure you receive an excellent value. That means getting giving our patients high quality dentistry that looks great, is completely comfortable, and lasts a long time. If your dentistry breaks down quickly and you have to have it redone in just a year or two, we feel that is not a good investment.

Dr. Grizzle will make a recommendation that will work best for you. In some cases that may mean that a large filling could work to repair your tooth. However, a crown may better protect your tooth and provide stability over a longer period of time.

We know that cost is a concern for most patients, but we also know that your time and comfort is valuable. That is why we recommend certain procedures over others. A crown is, by far, the most long-term solution for a damaged tooth. If your have cracks, a crown can prevent your tooth from requiring a root canal or from splitting down the middle, causing pain and requiring an extraction.

Ultimately which treatment you get is completely up to you. We commit to providing you with the most accurate information about your condition so you can make an educated decision regarding your dental health.
 

We know that emergencies can happen at the most inconvenient times. We are available to our patients who experience a dental emergency outside of regular business hours. If you break a crown, bridge, or other dental restoration, please call us immediately. We can help to assess the situation and determine a time for you to come in for an emergency appointment.

Crowns come off for a variety of reasons. Sometimes if you have a strong bite, you can compromise your crown through the sheer force of chewing. The cement on your crown may deteriorate, causing your crown to come off. You could also have decay under your crown, making your tooth structure soft and unable to support a crown.

If your crown comes off and you have it, hold on to it for your appointment. We may be able to recement it if nothing serious is wrong with your tooth or the crown.

If you have lost or broken one of your crowns, call us as soon as possible. That way, we can find a time to repair your crown and prevent you from pain and sensitivity. It is important to repair your crown in a timely manner so that your teeth do not begin to shift.
 

It may seem ok to leave your missing tooth alone if you can’t really see it when you smile, but leaving a gap in your teeth can start a chain reaction of dental problems. Did you know that when you lose a tooth, your entire bite could change?

Have you ever pulled a book out of a bookshelf and all of the other books tipped inward or to one side? The same thing happens when you lose a tooth. All of your other teeth begin moving in order to close in that gap. That may not seem like a big deal except that your teeth may no longer fit together properly when you bite down.

When your teeth do not fit together properly, you can start to have sensitivity and pain because on tooth is hitting harder than all of the others. Ultimately, it may cause severe jaw problems because your jaw will continuously try to find a comfortable position. When you have jaw joint problems, you can experience clicking, popping, and even locking of your jaw. These problems can cause significant pain.

When you get a dental bridge, we fill in the gap in your teeth and it acts as a space holder for your missing tooth. While bridges do not prevent bone loss, they can help maintain the integrity of your bite.

When we create dentistry for our patients, we take a number of factors into account before designing the permanent restorations. If your dentistry is visible when you talk or smile, we will do our best to make sure it blends in with your surrounding teeth. We look at color, most certainly, but we also take your tooth’s shape, size, and unique characteristics into account when designing restorations.

We also want to provide the greatest comfort and function. So we weigh all of our options and tell you the benefits of each, allowing you to make the final decision when it comes to your treatment. For some patients, having the very best materials is incredibly important. For others, having greater comfort is most important. Fortunately, with advancements in dentistry and dental procedures, you can have both.

If aesthetics is important to you, you have more options than ever for dental restorations. From porcelain and metal to all ceramic restorations, today’s dentistry is gorgeous when created by a doctor and a skilled dental lab.

Dr. Grizzle has years of experience creating life like restorations for our patients. They come back to us repeatedly telling us they love how attractive and comfortable their smiles are.

Advancements in technology and materials mean that today’s dental bridges are more attractive and realistic than ever. Dental bridges are one of the most tried and true tooth replacement options available. Additionally, they are a great alternative for people who cannot have dental implants.

Traditional dental bridges consist of two dental crowns on your natural teeth with abutments to hold the artificial (replacement) tooth in the center. Bridges are made to match the rest of your teeth, so that they appear completely natural.

Because of the nature of dental bridges, keeping them clean can pose a challenge, but is easy if you stick to it. Food can sometimes get lodged in part of your bridge and may require a special brush or special floss to remove it. It is extremely important that you keep your dental bridge clean, just like your natural teeth, otherwise you can risk losing your investment.

Are you interested in hearing about your tooth replacement treatment? Dr. Reagan Grizzle can explain all of your options and give his honest opinion about which will work best for you. He will take your health, your budget, and your lifestyle into account when making a recommendation for your dentistry.