Crowns and Bridges

What is a crown?

A dental crown is a small cap that covers a weakened or damaged tooth. Crowns are usually made of metal, porcelain, or porcelain-coated metal.

Shara Miller, DDS, often recommends metal crowns for children because of the metal’s durability. Dental crowns protect teeth at risk of falling out, instead of preserving smiles and future dental health.

What is a bridge?

A dental bridge is a dental appliance that replaces missing teeth. A prosthetic tooth or teeth is secured by crowns placed on the natural teeth on either side of the gap.

Dental bridges restore smiles and also prevent any remaining natural teeth from drifting or twisting into the gap left by a missing tooth.

Why would my child need a dental crown or bridge?

You might be wondering why your child would need a crown or a bridge — baby teeth are meant to fall out and be replaced by adult teeth, right? 

While that's true, baby teeth help your child eat, talk, and smile for years. Baby teeth emerge when your child is 1-3 years old, and your youngster starts to shed their baby teeth around the age of 6. The process continues until they're 10-12 years old. 

Baby teeth play a critical role as placeholders for adult teeth. If your little one loses a tooth too early, the adult tooth doesn't immediately emerge. Instead, your child has a gap much longer than they should, and their other teeth may drift into the extra space. 

This could lead to dental problems such as adult teeth not being able to erupt normally or teeth growing in crooked or twisted. 

What's the process for getting crowns or bridges?

Shara Miller, DDS, installs crowns and bridges in two visits. During the first appointment, they prepare your child's teeth for the crowns by removing a thin layer of enamel. 

Then, Shara Miller, DDS, takes pictures and molds of your child's teeth, which are used to design and create their crowns and bridges. They apply temporary crowns to protect your child's teeth, while their permanent dental appliances are custom-made.

Shara Miller, DDS, removes the temporary crowns and fits the permanent crowns or bridge on your child's teeth at the second appointment. They check the fit and your child's bite — the way their teeth come together when they close their mouth — before permanently bonding the crowns.

Shara Miller, DDS, gives you customized advice on what to expect as your child transitions between baby and adult teeth.

Call Shara Miller, DDS, or make an appointment online today for expert dental care, including crowns and bridges.