Are You Concerned About
The Health of Your Teeth?
Dental Crowns & Bridges
Are you concerned about the health of your teeth?
If you have had damage to your smile or have lost a tooth, it may be time to consider a replacement. Leaving a gap in your smile can cause your other teeth to shift out of place. If you do not address a tooth that requires repair, the problem will likely only worsen, resulting in more complex and costly treatment in the future
You can protect your smile and restore function with crowns and bridges. Both of these forms of restorative dentistry are available at Plenty Smiles. Our team is experienced in providing crowns or bridges to help you enjoy showing off your smile again.
The Benefits of Dental Crowns & Bridges
- Support a tooth that has been significantly damaged by decay
- Protect a tooth that is damaged from being worn away further
- Act as a protective barrier to a tooth after root canal
- Hold a broken or cracked tooth together
- Cover a dental implant
- Changing the shape or colour of a tooth and thereby improving its appearance
- A bridge or crown allows a patient to chew and eat normally
A Crown to Fix Damaged Teeth
A dental crown is appropriate for a tooth that is subject to cracking or breaking. It will help to protect your tooth in the long term or can be used to correct the shape of the tooth. Crowns can also replace large fillings in a tooth that has cracked or broken down.
Commonly, crowns are fitted on a tooth after a root canal has been performed. This procedure involves removing the nerve from your tooth. With the nerve gone, your tooth won’t get the nutrition it naturally would get to revitalise. That’s why your tooth is more likely to break down after a root canal procedure.
Crowns are typically made in one of two materials: ceramic or porcelain. In days past, a gold crown might be common, but there are few situations in which this would now be recommended. Porcelain and ceramic are both natural-looking and can be coloured in a way to match the rest of your teeth.
The Process of Getting a Crown
When you get a dental crown, two separate appointments are required to complete your procedure. They’ll be scheduled about 2-3 weeks apart, which gives our laboratory time to custom-create your dental crown. At the first appointment, you’ll be here for about 1-2 hours. It’s about an hour for a single crown and up to two hours if you’re having multiple crowns done.
The initial visit involves preparing your tooth to receive the permanent crown. You’ll be under dental anaesthetic the whole time to ensure your comfort. You’ll receive a temporary crown to wear until yours is completed.
At your follow-up visit, you’ll get to take a look at your new crown. It will be cemented into place, and your dentist will inspect the fit to make sure it goes seamlessly with the rest of your smile.
Dental Bridges to Fill a Gap
If you are missing teeth, you may have looked into tooth replacement options. It can be confusing to navigate which is best for you. That’s where our team comes in. Often, we recommend bridges to people who do not have sufficient material in their jawbone to support a dental implant. When that is the case, a dental bridge can fill the gap and restore your smile.
A bridge is made of ceramic material. It’s held in place by teeth on either side of the open space where a single tooth or multiple teeth have gone missing.
The Process of Getting a Bridge
Getting a bridge will take about 2-3 weeks in total, with two separate appointments needed to complete the process. The teeth around the bridge must be prepared at your initial appointment. Then, you’ll get a temporary bridge to wear until the laboratory creates yours.
At a follow-up appointment, your permanent bridge will be cemented into place, colour-matched and shaped to fit closely with the rest of your teeth. Unlike a denture, a bridge is fixed in place and does not need to be removed.
Crowns & Bridges FAQ’s
Am I a candidate for crowns or bridges?
How do I care for my crown or bridge?
Risks and Considerations
As with any dental treatment, it’s important to understand what’s involved before deciding on the right option for your case:
- Getting a crown involves removing a layer of your natural tooth enamel to make room for the crown — this is irreversible, so the tooth will need a crown (or similar restoration) going forward.
- For a bridge, the healthy teeth on either side of the gap are also prepared and reduced in size to support it — this affects those teeth permanently, even if they weren’t previously damaged.
- Some temporary sensitivity to hot, cold, or pressure is common after a tooth is prepared for a crown or bridge, and while wearing a temporary restoration between appointments.
- Crowns and bridges typically last 10-15 years or longer with proper care, but may eventually need to be replaced or re-cemented.
- A bridge requires extra care when cleaning underneath the false tooth (pontic) to prevent decay or gum problems around the supporting teeth.
- In some cases, a tooth being crowned may later need root canal treatment if the nerve becomes irritated during preparation or as a result of prior decay.
- Bridges are not always the ideal solution for every gap — depending on your case, a dental implant may be a more suitable long-term option, and Dr Manuel can discuss the alternatives with you.
At Plenty Smiles will assess your individual case and explain your options during your consultation.
Contact Us Today About
Dental Crowns & Bridges
Speak with our team about the best procedure
for your individual case.