Crowns And Bridges Specialist
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Sushma Balakrishna, DDS
Aesthetic and Implant Dentist & Family Dentistry located in San Ramon, CA & Livermore, CA
For your mouth to function properly, you need to have clean and healthy teeth. If your teeth are damaged, decayed, or missing, Sushma Balakrishna, DDS, can restore your smile with high-quality crowns and bridges. To learn more, schedule a visit with Dr. Balakrishna at Sunshine Dental, boasting two state-of-the-art offices conveniently located in San Ramon and Livermore, California. Booking your visit is easy: just call the office or use the online tool.
Crowns and Bridges Q&A
What is the difference between crowns and bridges?
Crowns and bridges are both prosthetic devices permanently sealed to your teeth, so it’s easy to confuse them. The main difference between a crown and a bridge is that a crown covers a tooth, while a bridge replaces one. While you can technically use a crown to replace a missing tooth, you need a dental implant to hold it in place.
Most bridges use crowns to keep the pontic (artificial tooth) in place. The pontic is sealed to a crown on one or both sides and sealed to your abutment teeth. Your abutment teeth are the teeth next to your missing tooth.
The only bridges that don’t use crowns are Maryland bonded bridges and implant-supported bridges. A Maryland bonded bridge keeps your pontic in place with a metal or ceramic framework sealed to the back of your abutment teeth, while an implant-supported bridge uses dental implants as anchors.
What does a crown do?
A crown covers the entirety of your tooth above the gum line, which can be necessary for several reasons. Dr. Balakrishna might suggest a crown to:
- Replace fillings that are too numerous or too large
- Protect a damaged tooth from further harm
- Restore a severely decayed tooth
- Improve the aesthetic appearance of a tooth
- Lengthen teeth that have been worn down due to bruxism (grinding)
Crowns are also a common component of a root canal. Dr. Balakrishna usually fits a crown after root canal therapy to strengthen the treated tooth and bolster its structural integrity.
How do you place a crown or bridge?
Dr. Balakrishna cleans your mouth, numbs your tissues with a local anesthetic, and removes a thin layer of enamel from the tooth or teeth that are getting a crown (if you’re getting a bridge, she removes enamel from your abutment teeth).
She then takes a highly precise mold of your mouth and uses it to custom-fabricate your crown or bridge. When the restoration is ready, she checks it fits comfortably, makes any necessary adjustments, then bonds it to your teeth.
Don’t wait any longer to restore your smile. Call Sunshine Dental today or book a visit online to get started on your crown or bridge.
