Crowns and bridges

Crowns and bridges

A dental crown, also referred to as a cap, is used to cover a damaged tooth entirely. A crown not only protects the tooth, but it can dramatically improve a tooth’s appearance, shape, and alignment. Crowns may be used to replace a large filling when there is little tooth structure remaining, protect a weak tooth from fracturing, restore a fractured tooth, attach a bridge, cover a dental implant, cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth, or cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment.

A bridge is one or more artificial teeth cemented into place using the teeth on either side for support. A bridge is an ideal method to fill the space created by missing teeth, and to restore the function and appearance of a full set of teeth. Bridge work is as much an art as it is an exact science since it replaces a missing tooth both functionally and cosmetically. The materials used may be gold alloys, porcelain bonded to metal alloy, or all ceramic material made to match your natural tooth color. The choice of material depends on requirements for strength, wear, and aesthetics.