When teeth are damaged or missing, your oral health suffers, and so does your self-esteem. Why not repair both with dental crowns and bridges from Dr. Raymond Della Porta, your dentist in Vero Beach, FL? Custom-made, reliable, and lifelike, these prosthetics can give you a well-functioning and healthy smile.

Dental crowns restore damaged teeth

Sometimes, decay, abscess, oral injury, and other circumstances weaken tooth structure. Sometimes, teeth are irreparably damaged and must be extracted. In other cases, Dr. Della Porta can restore those teeth with dental crowns right in his Vero Beach, FL, office.

Custom-made from durable and realistic porcelain, a dental crown is tooth-shaped and tooth-colored; it completely covers healthy tooth structure above the gum line. A crown is designed to bite together with the opposing arch of teeth, and it blends in well with its natural neighbors.

A tooth receiving a crown must be reduced in size, and typically, the dentist fits it with a temporary crown while the dental lab fabricates the permanent one. When the new crown is ready, Dr. Della Porta removes the temporary and bonds on the new one with a strong cement.

Fixed bridges span gaps

Bridgework consists of one or more artificial teeth being attached to dental crowns. The crowns anchor the entire porcelain appliance to the natural teeth on the opposite ends of the smile gap.

Like crowns, bridges are permanently bonded in place. The larger the smile gap is, the more teeth must be crowned to support the pontics.

Oral hygiene is important

The Columbia University College of Dental Medicine states that both dental crowns and bridges require careful at-home brushing and flossing and routine professional cleanings and check-ups. Good oral hygiene habits reduce harmful plaque and tartar around crown and bridge margins, avoids decay on underlying tooth structure, and prevents periodontal problems with surrounding gum tissue.

On average, crowns and bridges last around ten years, but they can last longer with good at-home care. Patients should additionally avoid extra-hard foods and biting down on non-food items such as pencil tops and plastic packaging.

Rebuild your smile

Let Dr. Raymond Della Porta make your smile beautiful and healthy once again. Call the office in Vero Beach, FL, for a consultation: (772) 567-1025.