Dental crowns and bridges are fixed prosthetic devices that are anchored onto existing teeth or cemented onto dental implants. Unlike removable dental appliances like dentures, dental crowns and bridges do away with the troublesome routine of removing the restoration when not needed and putting it back in the mouth when necessary.

A severely discoloured tooth, or a heavily decayed tooth is very much prone to fracture and deterioration if left untreated. To remedy this condition, a dental crown works by essentially creating a cap that is used to cover the damaged tooth. By doing so, the crown can improve the longevity and appearance of the tooth, as well as improving on the overall alignment of the patient’s teeth. A crown may also be recommended if a tooth functions as anchorage for a dental bridge.

Dental bridges, on the other hand, are used to replace one or multiple missing teeth. A bridge is composed of two abutments on either end, which are essentially dental crowns that will anchor the prostheses onto the patients existing teeth. In between these abutments, pontics or artificial teeth are fabricated to replace the actual missing teeth and complete the bridge, effectively connecting one end to the other and eliminating the gap. Bridges are permanently bonded to adjacent teeth or dental implants.

Crowns are fabricated from various materials including porcelain, gold, and other metals. Gold crowns are strong and resilient and are typically used for molars that are generally oriented towards the back of the patient’s mouth. Porcelain crowns are probably the most widely used material for fabricating crowns and are usually more useful for replacing teeth in the front part of the mouth because they can be made to appear very natural, with their colour and texture mimicking that of natural teeth very closely. Some porcelain crowns are reinforced with a metal inside and are known as porcelain fused to metal crowns, and these are used to add onto the strength of the porcelain restoration with support from within.

Bridges also come in different forms to accommodate each patient’s individual requirement. Aside from the conventional kids bridges that are in use today, a cantilever bridge is designed to replace missing teeth at the back of the mouth where there can only be one end with abutments because no other teeth are present at the back to latch onto. A Maryland bridge is not used very often nowadays but were used to replace only one tooth at the time and made use of “wings” instead of abutments on either side to attach onto the two adjacent teeth.

If you decide to go ahead with your crown, we’ll likely need to take an x-ray to look at your existing teeth. This is because they act as the foundation for your new crown, so we need to understand more about their structure. From there, we’ll drill down the affected teeth so that we can create a stable support for the crowns. Once a lab technician has created your crown, we’ll attach it and give you all the aftercare advice you need for a full recovery.

With proper dental care, your teeth can last a lifetime, but some wear is inevitable. Dental crowns and bridges offer significant benefits by helping to preserve your natural teeth and restore normal dental functions.

By encasing a tooth with a dental crown, you’re restoring the look of your natural tooth and protecting it from further wear. Dental crowns can delay or even prevent the need for a tooth extraction.

A dental bridge can restore your normal biting and chewing actions and eliminate any changes that gaps between your teeth may have made to your speech. And you may find that your confidence returns to your smile.