Even your natural teeth aren’t expected to last forever, so how long can you expect your crowns, bridges and caps will stick around? Depends on how skilled your general dentistry practitioner is and what kind of prosthodontics you have, but here are some general guidelines for each

Crowns and Caps

A dental crown can last anywhere from five to fifteen years, though the lower end of that scale is a pretty good indication that either the crown was not properly set or that you have an oral habit that is damaging the crown and wearing it down before its time.

Grinding your teeth in your sleep, for example, is one of the things that can limit the lifetime of your prosthodontics. Your general dentistry specialist should be able to tell if this is the problem that has shortened the lifespan of your crown.

Bridges

Dental bridges also have a lifespan of 5-15 years, but the dangers to shortening that time are slightly different. Bridges are seriously susceptible to dental diseases, since damaging the structure of the teeth the bridge is bonded to will weaken the bridge.

Bridges need a solid foundation, so keeping your teeth healthy is essential to making these prosthodontics last longer.

General dentistry has made a lot of leaps in prosthodontics, but crowns, bridges and caps are still susceptible to the same pitfalls that your natural teeth are. Prosthodontics are designed to replace your damaged teeth, not necessarily to be better at standing up to decay and other dental problems.

Take good care of your prosthodontics just as you would of your natural teeth, and you’ll see them last much longer.

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