Crowns and Bridges

Crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic devices, cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by a dentist.

A crown is used to entirely cover or cap a damaged tooth. Its purpose is to strengthen a damaged tooth, and can be used to also improve its appearance, shape or alignment. Crowns for front teeth are usually mad of porcelain or ceramic colored to match the natural teeth. For back teeth, other materials such as gold and metal alloys, acrylic, and ceramic are often used, since they are generally stronger than porcelain.Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because of its strength and attractiveness.

A crown may be recommended to:

Replace large fillings when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
Restore a fractured tooth
Attach a bridge
Cover a dental implant
Cover a poorly shaped or discolored tooth
Cover a tooth that has had root canal work

A bridge may be recommended when you’re missing one or more teeth.

Missing teeth can cause remaining teeth to rotate or shift into the empty spaces, resulting in a bad bite which may lead to gum disease and joint disorders.

Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space.