Crowns & Bridges Specialist

What is a Crown?

Dental crowns are man-made tooth replacement tools which are secured to a patient’s teeth or used to form the tooth head of a dental implant. Crowns are meant to be permanent and can only be removed by a dentist. Crowns go over the top of a damaged tooth to conceal imperfections and they also strengthen teeth. They can also be utilized to improve a tooth’s appearance if stained or discolored, particularly if the staining is internal. Customarily, crowns are made from porcelain or ceramic material. Crowns are often color-matched to the adjacent teeth to help them appear natural.

Why are Crowns Used?

Crowns can:

• Amend a discolored or misshaped tooth
• Cover and protect a tooth which has had a root canal
• Secure a bridge
• Protect a weakened tooth
• Stand in for for a large filling

Crowns should last a very long time. If one does become impaired, loose, or falls off the dentist can repair it or install a new one.

What is a Dental Bridge?

When two or more teeth are missing, a dentist will employ a bridge to fill the space. The bridge sits on the top of the neighboring teeth and dental crowns will be secured to those teeth to provide protection and strengthen them. Generally, bridges are designed to be permanent as well.

How are Bridges Applied?

Bridge placement typically takes two visits. During the initial appointment, the neighboring teeth are prepared for their crowns by shaving down a thin layer of the enamel. An impression is also made of the area containing the neighboring teeth and then delivered to a dental lab. This impression is used to design the bridge. During the next visit, the permanent crowns will be attached to the neighboring teeth with a strong bonding agent and then the bridge is secured. Permanent bridges are secured with similar bonding adhesive while a temporary bridge uses metal clips.