Crowns and Bridges
Low maintenance and permanently affixed, crowns and bridges are routinely used to strengthen and repair a damaged tooth or replace one or more missing teeth.
Sometimes called a cap, a crown is attached directly to the tooth, improving its structural integrity or even changing its shape, size and colour. Crowns come in a variety of materials, including cast gold alloy and tooth-coloured ceramics. If you need to replace more than one tooth, you might opt for a dental bridge. This is where the replacement teeth are attached as a single appliance to two crowns, anchored to the teeth on either side of the gap. Of course, a crown is only appropriate
when a sufficient amount of the tooth still remains after any damage is removed.
4 steps to an effective crown or bridge
The initial consultation
We examine your teeth and discuss your options before booking the necessary treatment appointments.
Preparing the teeth
In your first treatment appointment, we prepare the tooth or teeth to receive the crown by removing the outer layer and shaping the surface underneath. We then take a digital scan to capture the shape of each prepared tooth. This will serve as a template for the crown. We also fit a temporary crown to protect the tooth while the final crown or bridge is prepared.
Fabricating the crown or bridge
The digital scan is sent to a specialist dental laboratory to craft a ceramic version of the tooth that will fit precisely over the prepared area. The crown may also be colour-matched to your other teeth to be less noticeable. It may take 3-4 weeks before the finished crown or bridge is delivered to our clinic.
Fitting the crown or bridge
In your second treatment appointment, the temporary crown is removed and the new crown or bridge is fitted using a dental cement. From consultation to delivery, the entire process can take 5-6 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Yes, a crown is a more expensive and invasive procedure than a filling. But if a crown is recommended, it’s usually because of the extent of the cavity or damage to the tooth. While a large filling may address the issue in the short term, it may not provide enough structural integrity to the tooth in the long term and further treatment may be required in a few years.
While a dental implant is ideal for replacing a single tooth, a bridge can be a cheaper option. However, a bridge may not last as long as an implant and may require more maintenance and care to avoid further damage.
Crowns have a finite life and will need replacing after about 12-15 years. As a bridge is really two connected crowns, the same applies. Therefore, younger patients looking to replace a single or multiple missing teeth may opt for implants instead of a bridge as the results will last much longer.
You care for a crown just as you would your other teeth, brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush. However, if you have a bridge, it is vital that you also use a floss threader or a correctly-sized interdental brush to clean underneath. Otherwise, trapped food particles and bacteria beneath the bridge may lead to decay in the teeth supporting the bridge on either side. Decay in these teeth may not only require further treatment but also require you to have a new bridge fitted.