Crwons & Bridges
What are Dental crowns & bridges?
A dental crown is a fixed prosthetic “cap” that fits over a damaged tooth and restores it to its normal form and function. It can be moulded from several different materials, including ceramics, zirconia, procera, porcelain fused to metal.
Dental bridges are meant to “bridge the gap” created when one or more teeth are missing from the oral cavity. Bridges take support from adjacent teeth (Abutments) to replace missing teeth (Pontics) all created together as one solid piece. Ultimately, bridges and crowns fill in missing teeth and/or replace healthy tooth structure after damage.J
What are crowns and bridges used for?
Cracked, damaged, or broken teeth
Crowns fit snugly over a cracked tooth, holding it together to prevent it from breaking apart any further. They also preserve or restore the tooth’s shape and functionality.
Discolored teeth
In some cases, dentists may use a crown to cover up a discoloured tooth caused due to trauma, root canal therapy or large metal fillings.
Missing teeth
Dentists use dental bridges to replace one or multiple missing teeth. The “pontic” false tooth in the bridge fully replaces the missing tooth, allowing a bridge to restore functionality and appearance to the area. Properly placed crowns and bridges can keep other teeth from shifting into gaps left behind by previous damage or prior extractions.