Crowns and Bridgework

What Are Dental Crowns?

A dental crown is a custom-made cap that covers the tooth's entire visible surface. Crowns can restore strength, functionality, and appearance to a compromised tooth. Your dentist may recommend a crown for various reasons, including:

• Strengthening and Protecting: Reinforces teeth with extensive decay where a filling would not be sufficient.
• Preventing Further Damage: Shields cracked, broken, or brittle teeth to prevent worsening conditions.
• Post-Root Canal Restoration: Reinforces a tooth following a root canal procedure.
• Cosmetic Enhancement: Covers deeply discolored or irregularly shaped teeth for a more attractive appearance.
• Implant Completion: Serves as the visible part of a dental implant for a seamless, functional replacement.
• Bridge Anchoring: Provides support as part of a dental bridge to fill gaps from missing teeth.

Bridgework for Missing Teeth

Bridgework fills the gaps created by one or more missing teeth, using crowns as anchors. This restores your smile and prevents shifting and misalignment of adjacent teeth.

The Crown Placement Process

Most crowns are placed over two appointments:

1. Tooth Preparation

During the first visit, your dentist reshapes the tooth to ensure the crown fits securely. If significant tooth structure is missing, the tooth may be built up with filling material.

2. Impression and Temporary Crown

We will take an impression or digital scan of the prepared tooth to create a custom crown. A temporary crown will be placed to protect the tooth while the permanent crown is crafted at a dental lab.

3. Final Placement

During the second visit, the dentist places the finished crown, makes any necessary adjustments, and bonds it in place using specialized dental cement.

Types of Crown Materials

Crowns can be made from different materials, each offering unique benefits based on factors like durability, appearance, and cost:

• Metal crowns are composed of gold, platinum, or metal alloys, making them highly durable and ideal for back molars.
• All-porcelain/all-ceramic crowns are color-matched and translucent for a natural appearance, making them popular for front teeth. They are also metal-free and ideal for those with allergies.
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns offer the strength of metal with a realistic porcelain overlay. While slightly less translucent than all-porcelain crowns, they blend well with natural teeth.
• Stainless steel crowns are often used as temporaries or for children's primary teeth due to their durability and cost-effectiveness.
• Composite resin crowns are affordable and primarily used as temporary crowns due to their lower durability.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns offer both functional and aesthetic improvements, making them one of the most popular restorative options:

• Restored Strength: Reinforces weakened teeth, allowing for normal chewing and speaking.
• Natural Appearance: Modern crowns are crafted to blend seamlessly with surrounding teeth.
• Long-Term Solution: With proper care, crowns can last for many years, ensuring sustained oral health.