Crowns are strong complete coverage restorations used to strengthen a tooth or improve your tooth’s aesthetics. Crowns are most often used to cover teeth that are broken, worn, or have portions destroyed by tooth decay.
A crown is a “cap” cemented onto an existing tooth that fully covers the portion of your tooth above the gum line. In effect, the crown becomes your tooth’s new outer surface. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or both. Porcelain crowns are most often preferred because they mimic the translucency of natural teeth and are very strong.
Crowns or onlays (partial crowns) are needed when there is insufficient tooth strength remaining to hold a filling. Unlike fillings, which apply the restorative material directly into your mouth, a crown is fabricated away from your mouth. Your crown is created from your unique tooth impression, which allows our dental laboratory technician to examine all aspects of your bite and jaw movements. It is sculpted just for you, to match your other teeth and so that your bite and jaw movements function normally once the crown is placed.
A bridge replaces missing teeth with artificial teeth which are joined to the remaining teeth on either side of the gap, using them as supports by restoring them with crowns. A bridge is aesthetic and literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth may have been. Your bridge can be made from gold, alloys, porcelain, or a combination of these materials and is bonded onto the adjacent teeth for support. A bridge may be a good fixed option when implants are not viable, or when the adjacent teeth would benefit from being crowned.