Crowns Caps Bridges

Crowns and bridges are commonly used to restore damaged or lost tooth structure, or decayed teeth. They can help bring back the natural look of your smile, especially with today’s esthetic materials available. When teeth have more filling than tooth, or if there is damage that has resulted from decay, or a fracture, it weakens the tooth and a crown is often placed to save the tooth. This is especially common after a root canal therapy is done, or trauma to the tooth. A crown can cover the entire tooth above the gum line, and give patients the look and feel of a natural tooth. There are also partial crowns and onlays that can be done to preserve more tooth structure when a portion of the tooth is still intact. Years ago, we used to refer to the front crowns as “caps”, but essentially they are the same thing. Crowns can be made of gold or porcelain, or a combination of metal and gold. Obviously, the porcelain crowns are the more common and more esthetic crowns, typically used in the front of the mouth. If left untreated, a tooth with a large fracture or deep decay may need a root canal or worse – an extraction, due to loss of tooth structure.

A dental bridge serves as a permanent replacement for missing or damaged teeth. These restorations, typically three or more teeth long, are bonded (or cemented) onto the adjacent natural teeth and are referred to as a FIXED BRIDGE. Replacing a missing tooth can help maintain the bite, support the lips and cheeks, improve esthetics, and help with both speech and chewing. In addition, it can stabilize the adjacent and opposing teeth from tilting into a space created by a missing tooth. This can lessen the chances for gum disease to occur due to tilting or moving teeth. With proper care, a dental bridge should give you many years of use.

WHEN IS DENTAL CROWN NEEDED?

Protect or restore a tooth from fracturing due to accident or trauma

Replace a tooth which is too large for a filling

Get a cap over Implant placed

Restore the tooth on which RCT was performed

Cover discolored, misshaped or badly formed tooth

Require a bridge in that case crowns are a must

When is a crown or bridge required?

A tooth is fractured or damaged

Too much decay has weakened a tooth

A tooth is severely discoloured

A tooth is misshapen

A dental bridge needs an anchor