Crowns/Bridges

Crown and bridge treat is a long-term method of replacing missing teeth. A crown is place over an individual tooth where there is no longer sufficient tooth structure left to place a filling.

A bridge spans space where one or more teeth have been lost in the dental arch.

Crowns and bridges are most often made from superior materials such as precious metals (gold), semi-precious metals, porcelain, or a combination of metal fused to porcelain.

Both esthetics and function are considered when selecting the material most suitable for your case.

Crowns

When teeth are heavily decayed they may be too weak to survive with just a filling. By placing a crown, a tooth may be given a new lease of life. Even when a single tooth is lost a denture may not be required as a bridge can be made which spans the gap with a tooth attached to those next to the space.

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is used when there is a tooth missing. It usually involves putting a crown on each tooth on either side of the missing tooth, and then a false tooth or teeth is suspended between the crowns.

A bridge allows the dentist to replace lost teeth without the use of a denture or dental implant. Basically a false tooth is held in place by being attached to a tooth next door. The disadvantage is that the teeth next to the space have to be prepared in a similiar way to a crown in order to accept the bridge.

If these teeth already have crowns or big restorations then this is not a problem, the major concern however is when these teeth have small or no restorations (fillings). One compromise is the 'acid etched bridge', with this type a fine ledge is placed on the back of the adjacent teeth.