Crowns and Bridges

A crown or cap is used to protect, cover, seal and strengthen a weak tooth. Crowns are used in many different situations as they are strong, effective and often allow us to save a natural tooth rather than turning to implants or dentures.

The use of a crown depends on the condition of the tooth and your overall oral health. Crowns are often used as a part of more extensive procedure such as Root Canal Therapies and strengthening supporting teeth for a bridge.

Other situations where a Crown is used are:

• A Cracked tooth can use a crown to hold it together. Be careful with cracked teeth. If you wait too long a cracked tooth can become sensitive or eventually break.
• Sensitive Teeth either from wear, grinding and even receded gums can benefit from a crown to seal and protect the teeth from additional sensitivity.
• A Broken Tooth may be too weak to hold a filling. A crown will hold the tooth together and prevent it from breaking again.
• Large Fillings that have broken down or have formed decay around them may need a crown to save the tooth.
• Root Canal Therapy requires a tooth to be protected with a crown in order to seal and protect the tooth.

Achieving a natural looking and realistic smile after experiencing tooth loss is possible with dental bridges. Dental bridges are one method used by dentists to fill a gap created by a missing tooth (or teeth). A dental bridge is made up of two dental crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap, and a false tooth in between. Natural teeth, dental implants, or a combination of natural teeth and dental implants can be used to support the bridge. The dental bridge type you choose will depend on the condition of your smile, and the cosmetic results you desire. Whether you are looking for a temporary or permanent tooth loss solution, there is a dental bridge suited for your needs.

Types of Dental Bridges:

• Traditional Bridge
  This type of dental bridge consists of two crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap, with a false tooth in between. Traditional bridges are the most commonly used type of dental bridge and are made of ceramic or porcelain fused to metal (PFM). If there are no surrounding teeth to support the crowns, dental implants can be used to fix the bridge in place.
• Cantilever Bridge
  This type of dental bridge is used when there are teeth on only one side of the gap in the mouth. Two crowns fused to the replacement tooth are used to fix the bridge to the adjacent natural teeth.
• Maryland Bonded Bridge
  This type of dental bridge is made up of plastic teeth and gums supported by a metal framework. The bonded dental bridge is generally lower in cost than other types of bridges and is the most simple to install.