Crowns

A crown is a tooth-shaped cover placed over a tooth that is badly damaged or decayed. Crowns may be placed for several reasons. Usually the tooth has been broken or severely damaged by decay. As a result, a filling can’t replace enough of the tooth or make the tooth strong enough.

Crowns can be used to improve appearance as well. They may be placed to cover misshapen or badly discolored teeth. They are also used to cover a dental implant. It can also be used to protect a weak tooth from fracturing.

Crowns can be all metal, porcelain fused to metal (PFM) or all ceramic. Metals include gold alloy, other alloys (palladium) or a base-metal alloy (nickel or chromium). PFM and all-ceramic crowns are the same color as your natural teeth. They look just like normal teeth. rowns usually last at least seven years. In many cases they last much longer, up to 40 years or so.

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Bridges

A bridge is made to replace one or more missing teeth. Unlike dentures it cannot be removed daily and cleaned. Bridges can be supported in any of three ways:

• By natural teeth
• By implants
• By a combination of teeth and implants

Gaps formed by missing teeth eventually lead the adjacent teeth to rotate or shift into the empty space resulting in a bad bite. The imbalance caused by missing teeth can eventually lead to gum disease and temperomandibular joint disorders.

A traditional bridge is made by creating a crown for the teeth on either side of the space and placing a false tooth or teeth between the crowns. The crowns can be supported by natural teeth or by implants.

If the teeth receiving the crowns are healthy and strong, they probably will not need root canal therapy. However, parts of the teeth will be removed to make space for the crowns.

Getting a bridge requires at least two visits. At the first visit, your dentist prepares the teeth and covers them with temporary crowns. The dentist may also make impressions of the teeth.