Aside from helping protect the aesthetic appearance of your smile, maintaining excellent dental and oral health is crucial for your overall body health. Unfortunately, even with proper care, sometimes we can experience dental issues that require restorative treatments. For example, if you have a missing tooth or a severely damaged tooth, your dentist could recommend restorative treatments like dental bridges or crowns to fill the gap.

These two procedures can improve the aesthetic appearance of your smile, but what is the difference between them, and what option is ideal for your unique condition? For you to know whether your unique condition requires a dental bridge or crown, you should speak with a dentist. Below, we will break down the differences and advantages of these two dental restorative treatments.

The Definition and Primary Differences Between Dental Crowns and Bridges

In restorative dentistry, dental crowns, and bridges are the two primary solutions many dentists use to fix various dental problems. Although they both contribute to better dental health and smile aesthetics, their applications, structures, and goals are different.

Making educated decisions regarding your and your family's oral and dental health requires you to be aware of these distinctions. Below are the main differences between dental crowns and bridges, respectively:

Dental Crowns

Also known as caps, dental crowns are ceramic or porcelain-made devices that your dentist uses to cover and protect a damaged or severely decayed tooth. The material your dentist will select for your dental crown will depend on the factors listed below:

  • The position of your gum tissues
  • Your tooth's location in the mouth
  • How much of the tooth shows above the gumline when you smile

Aside from restoring the function of your tooth, a dental crown helps improve the aesthetic appearance of your smile. Generally speaking, your dentist could recommend a dental crown if you have any of the following dental issues:

  • A missing tooth —Any person could lose his/her teeth due to various reasons, like old age or injury. Regardless of the cause, your dentist can help fix this issue using a dental implant and crown
  • A severely fractured or cracked tooth — A crown can help keep the pieces of a severely cracked or fractured tooth together, protecting the aesthetic appearance of your smile
  • A decayed tooth—If your tooth is decayed, your dentist could recommend receiving a dental crown to stop the decay from getting worse and jeopardizing the pulp chamber of your tooth
  • A large filling that requires additional support — If you have a tooth with a large filling, your dentist could recommend a dental crown to increase its strength and prevent the need for extraction
  • Yellowish or stained teeth — If you have a stained or yellowish tooth, your dentist could recommend a dental crown to cover or mask the imperfections for the attractive smile you deserve

However, if you have a missing tooth, your dentist will recommend a dental implant before receiving a dental crown. A dental implant is a metallic or titanium post your dentist surgically places on your jawbone to replace missing tooth roots, acting as anchorage for an artificial tooth (dental crown).

Below is what to expect when a dentist recommends a dental crown as a remedy for your unique dental problem:

  • A thorough checkup of your tooth — Before fitting a crown on your tooth, your dentist will check the affected tooth for signs of decay, which could necessitate a root canal procedure before receiving a crown
  • Tooth impression taking — To ensure your dental crown fits seamlessly with the surrounding teeth, your dentist will have to take an impression of your teeth to create a new custom crown
  • Second appointment — Once the dentist creates or receives your custom crown from the lab technician, he/she will place and cement it on the affected tooth to restore its functions and boost your smile's appearance

Once your dental crowns are in place, you should care for them like you would natural teeth to increase their durability. Generally, with proper care, dental crowns could last up to ten years or more. That is particularly true if your dental crown is implant-supported. Your dentist will give you guidelines on how to care for your crowns. Basically, caring for your crowns means:

  • Brushing and flossing in between your teeth daily
  • Avoiding hard foods that could damage them, like nuts
  • Scheduling frequent dental visits for checkups and exams

Dental Bridges

While crowns help repair a damaged tooth, the primary purpose of dental bridges is to bridge or fill the void caused by one or more missing teeth. A dental bridge consists of two or more crowns designed to fit your natural teeth or dental implant on either side of the gap, with an artificial tooth in between.

The artificial or false teeth that bridge the gap between your teeth are known as "pontics" and are either gold, porcelain, or alloy-made. The material your dentist will use to prepare your dental bridge will depend on your preferences and the number of missing teeth you have.

Below are various types of dental bridges that your dentist could recommend, depending on your oral and dental health goals:

  • Traditional dental bridge
  • Cantilever dental bridge
  • Maryland dental bridge
  • Implant-supported bridge

When determining the ideal type of dental bridge to use, your dentist will consider several factors, including:

  • The size of your gap
  • The condition of the natural teeth next to the gap
  • The overall health of your gums and teeth
  • Whether you have natural teeth to support the bridge or abutment on both ends of the gap
  • The number of missing teeth that you have
  • Your age
  • Your personal preferences
  • The overall health of your gums and teeth

Generally speaking, it could take two or three appointments to attach a dental bridge to your teeth. To place a dental bridge on your teeth, your dentist will do the following:

  • Inject you with local anesthesia to prevent discomfort during the procedure
  • Reshape your abutment (surrounding natural teeth that will support the bridge on both sides). To do this, your dentist will have to remove some parts of your teeth enamel
  • Take impressions of your teeth and send them to the laboratory for preparation
  • Place a temporary bridge on the gap between your teeth before preparing your final dental bridge, which could take two to four weeks

During your second appointment, your dentist will remove the temporary bridge and replace it with the new final bridge. If your dentist has modern computer-aided design technology, he/she can prepare your final custom dental bridge during your first appointment. That means you will walk home with the smile you deserve. Aside from improving the appearance of your smile, a dental bridge can:

  • Restore your speaking and chewing ability because a missing tooth or set of teeth could affect your ability to speak and chew properly
  • Offer a natural-looking remedy for your tooth loss
  • Prevent the surrounding nearby teeth from shifting of their ideal position in your mouth

Your recovery time following a dental bridge procedure will vary depending on a number of factors. However, the healing of the gums and teeth could take an average of one (1) to two (2) weeks. Fortunately, dental bridges are strong and can remain in place for five to fifteen years after being installed.

Some could last even longer with excellent maintenance and care. To that end, here are some tips to help you care for your dental bridges:

  • Floss and brush your teeth daily, including the new bridge
  • Brush your teeth using non-abrasive toothpaste fluoridated toothpaste
  • Avoid extremely chewy or hard food
  • Do not chew pencils, pens, fingernails, or ice
  • Use floss threaders to clean underneath the bridge to prevent plaque buildup
  • Schedule frequent appointments with your dentist for thorough cleanings and checkups

Which is the Best Teeth Replacement Option Between Dental Bridges and Crowns?

If you are not a trained dentist, it could be difficult to decide which dental bridge or crown replacement is best for you. The best option for replacing your missing teeth will depend on a number of factors, including your preferences and your particular dental condition.

If you have one or two missing teeth affecting your smile appearance and chewing functions, a dentist can help. Your dentist will assess your unique condition and general oral health to determine the most suitable teeth replacement option for your issue.

If you have two or more missing teeth, your dentist will likely recommend a dental bridge to fix the issue and give you the appealing smile you deserve. However, if you have a damaged functional tooth, a dental crown could help fix the issue to prevent the deterioration of the issue or loss of the tooth.

Factors to Consider When Looking for a Reliable Dentist for Dental Bridges or Crowns Installation

If you are looking for a trustworthy and skilled dentist for dental bridges or crown installation, the four tips explained below can help you narrow down your options:

  1. Consider the Dentist's Qualifications

Ensure the dentist you choose is well-qualified and trained to offer dental bridge and crown installation services. A reliable dentist will be ready to provide you with his/her qualifications and credentials to prove he/she is competent for the job.

In addition to the qualifications, you should ensure the dentist you choose is experienced and has a record of success in offering similar services to different clients.

  1. Consider the Dentist's Reputation

A dentist's reputation can speak volumes about the quality of his/her services before you even schedule an appointment with him/her. Ensure the dentist you choose for teeth replacement services is reputable. To know whether your prospective dentist is reputable, you should check his/her past comments and reviews about his/her services on his/her website.

Several positive comments or feedback about his/her quality of services show that the dentist's services are reliable.

  1. Consider the Dentist's Location

Since the installation of dental bridges and crowns could require two appointments, you should look for a dentist within your location for convenient accessibility during the treatment process.

  1. Whether the Dentist is Licensed

Working with a licensed dentist shows a sense of professionalism. To secure a practice license, a dentist must meet certain strict requirements. For instance, he/she must have the necessary credentials to prove he/she is a trained and qualified dentist.

The Cost of Dental Bridges Versus Crowns

The cost of dental crowns and bridges could vary, depending on various factors, such as:

  • The complexity of the procedure the dentist will recommend
  • Materials used to prepare your dental crown
  • Your dentist's geographic location

Generally speaking, dental bridges will cost more than crowns because they require additional materials and proper planning when preparing the adjacent natural teeth or dental implant placement of the restoration.

If your dentist recommends dental bridges to fix your dental health issue, you should be ready to spend an average of $500 to $1,200 on each tooth. However, a dental crown will cost you anywhere between $800 and $1,500 per tooth.

If you have dental insurance coverage, your insurer could cover all or some of the costs. Check with your insurer to know whether your policy covers dental bridge or crown procedure costs. A reliable attorney will be ready to provide you with a well-detailed treatment plan, indicating the costs of your dental crown and bridge.

To make it hassle-free to settle your services fee after receiving a dental crown or bridge, a reliable dentist will also offer you flexible payment plans. For instance, you can settle his/her services' fee using PayPal, cash, banker's check, or bitcoin.

Find a Reputable Dentist Near Me

Whether you have a chipped, discolored, fractured, or missing tooth or set of teeth, a dentist can help restore your smile's aesthetic appearance and other functions of the teeth, like chewing and speaking. If you have any of these dental issues, our reliable and experienced dentists at Northridge Advanced Dentistry can help.

Call us at 818-701-3010, and we will help you determine whether your unique dental issue requires a dental bridge or a crown to restore your charming smile.