Crowns & Bridges
Crowns and bridges are used to restore the appearance and functionality of damaged or missing teeth. A crown is a restoration that is placed over a broken down tooth to restore its strength and appearance. A bridge fixes to the teeth on either side of a gap and is an effective method of restoring one or two missing teeth.
Crowns are excellent options to improve the strength and cosmetic appearance of your teeth. They are thin, tooth coloured ceramic shells that are bonded onto the teeth to create a beautiful straight, white smile. Crowns can recreate a natural looking smile, while also providing strength and resilience comparable to natural tooth enamel.
A bridge is a type of tooth replacement that uses existing teeth as anchors to fill the vacant area. This option is often used when dealing with one or more missing teeth. The bridge closes the gap with a false tooth, typically made from ceramic to blend with your natural teeth. A traditional bridge uses the adjacent teeth, which are called abutment teeth, to replace one or more missing teeth in between. It does this by capping, or crowning, the existing teeth with a false tooth/teeth connected to these crowns. While dental bridges are effective for dealing with one or more missing teeth, they are not suitable for everyone. Bridges require a strong foundation. If the adjacent teeth are too weak or too severely decayed, a bridge may not be a viable option. Another situation that may not be appropriate for a dental bridge is when a tooth that would need to be crowned for a bridge, would not benefit from a crown. This is the case when a tooth has little to no existing fillings, cracks or decay and would otherwise be strong enough by itself without the need of a crown. If your adjacent teeth offer proper support and warrant crowns, dental bridges can help restore your smile and ability to chew properly. You may also notice that your speech and pronunciation improve.
Following a thorough examination and treatment planning appointment, the process usually takes two visits to complete. During the first appointment, the teeth are prepared by lightly buffing and shaping the surface to allow for the thickness of the ceramic. An impression or scan is then taken. Together with the dentist and lab technician, you will choose the shade (or colour) of your ceramic. The laboratory will then fabricate your crowns and/or bridges within two weeks. During this time, you will have temporary ones on until the next appointment. On the second visit, they are then bonded permanently to your teeth. The dentist will show you everything in the mirror before bonding to ensure you are happy with the size, shape and shade. The teeth are cleaned, and they are bonded onto the teeth, leaving you with a beautiful new smile.