Crowns and Bridges in Columbia, IL
Patients may need a crown or bridge for any one of a variety of reasons. In general, though, we use a crown to strengthen and protect and a damaged tooth and a dental bridge to fill in the space left by a missing tooth.
Dental Crowns
Crowns or "caps" placed at Workman Family Dental are used to restore broken, cracked, or otherwise damaged teeth. They fit like a shell over the teeth to protect and strengthen them so that they stand up to normal, everyday wear and tear. Crowns can esthetically enhance your smile by concealing severely discolored or misshapen teeth.
Today we have access to different types of materials to create natural-looking dental crowns:
All-Porcelain: This is the most popular choice for esthetics because the appearance of porcelain has characteristics similar to those of natural tooth enamel.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal: These crowns are another durable option, but most of our patients prefer the esthetics of all-porcelain crowns.
We will present all possible solutions, starting the the most conservative and affordable treatment. We're here to provide you with all the information you need to make a decision you're comfortable with.
Dental Bridges
Every patient experiences tooth loss differently. Some patients lose large sections of teeth to decay, injury, or disease, and require dentures as a replacement. Other patients lose only a few teeth in different sections of their smiles.
The loss of a tooth does more than create a cosmetic problem. A missing tooth makes chewing difficult and may also affect your ability to speak properly. It can also lead to a sunken appearance of the face, bone loss, and misalignment of surrounding teeth.
The best solution for you may be a dental bridge. We have used bridges for many years to restore function and eliminate the space left by a missing tooth. Bridges replace missing teeth by "capping" the teeth on either side of the empty space and suspending an artificial tooth between them.
A dental bridge serves multiple purposes:
- Acts as a placeholder and prevents drifting of remaining teeth
- Enables you to chew and speak normally
- Restores and beautifies your smile
Dr. Workman may also recommend placement of dental implants to provide further support for the bridge, depending on your needs.
Learn More about Our Expertly Crafted Restorations
Would you like to learn more about our state-of-the-art dental restorations? Please give us a call, and we’ll be happy to arrange a consultation. Dr. Workman will explain all your options and help you choose the solution that’s most appropriate for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
At Workman Family Dental, we use only the highest quality materials to ensure that the restoration we create for you will last for many years. All dental restorations are man-made, however, so it's inevitable that they will have a certain lifespan.
There are several things you need to take into account when considering the lifespan of a restoration. The size of the restoration and the tooth on which it is placed both play a part in how long a particular restoration will last.
Dental Restoration Maintenance
However, the most important factor will be how well you take care of your teeth. We can create a beautiful, durable restoration, but it is up to you to take care of it properly. Even the highest quality restoration can’t stand up to abuse and neglect. Failure to brush and floss properly or frequently biting down on hard candies will definitely shorten the lifespan of your restoration. In a perfect world, with proper care and routine dental visits, a crown or bridge will last up to 10 years (and maybe longer).
If you have are considering having a crown or bridge placed and would like more information, please call our Columbia dental office. We will be happy to arrange an appointment to discuss all your options.
Meet Our Doctor:
Steven Workman DMD
“I became a dentist to help others. I enjoy meeting and interacting with people and having the ability to help them on a daily basis through dentistry.”
Dr. Steven Workman attended Illinois College, where he majored in biology and chemistry and graduated summa cum laude in 2004. Dr. Workman received his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 2008, graduating with honors.
Dr. Workman is a lifelong learner and committed to staying current with cutting-edge advances in dentistry. He is particularly interested in implant placement ...
