Crowns and Bridges

Crowns are a type of dental restoration which, when cemented into place, fully cup over the tooth.

In comparison, fillings are dental restorations that fill in or cover over just a portion of a tooth. Since dental crowns encase the entire visible aspect of a tooth, a dental crown in effect becomes the tooth’s new outer surface.

Crowns can be made out of porcelain, metal (a gold or other metal), or a combination of both.

Dental crowns are recommended for a variety of reasons but, in general, most of these reasons will usually fall within one of the following basic categories:

To restore a tooth to its original shape.
To strengthen a tooth.
To improve the cosmetic appearance of a tooth

Dental Bridges

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth.

A bridge is made up of two crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap and a false tooth/teeth in between. These teeth can be made from gold, alloys, white porcelain or a combination of these materials. Either natural teeth or implants can support dental bridges.

Among the benefits of dental bridges are:

Restore your smile
Restore your ability to properly chew and speak
Maintain the shape of your face
Distribute the forces in your bite properly by replacing missing teeth
Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position

Indirect restorations may require two or more visits. They include inlays , onlays and composite veneers. During the first visit , the dentist prepares the tooth and makes an impression. This impression is sent to a dental laboratory , which creates the dental restoration (filling). At the next appointment , the dentist cements the restoration to the prepared tooth and adjusts it.