Crowns and Bridgework

About Dental Crowns

Dental crowns, or caps, are used to cover an entire tooth that has decayed, performed, broken, or been badly shaped. A dental crown will cover the tooth completely to the gum line, restoring it to its regular size and shape. It is also used to cover a tooth with a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining to hold the filling in place.

To place a crown, your dentist first shapes the tooth by removing a small amount of enamel. He or she then makes an impression of your tooth and fits the crown to that mold. Once this is complete, he or she will cement the crown into place.

About Dental Bridges

Bridgework is done when someone has lost a tooth. When one or several teeth are missing, this gap can cause your other teeth to shift into that gap. Dentists often use a bridge to replace a missing tooth or teeth.

A bridge is usually made up of three crowns. This type of replacement is supported by healthy natural teeth on either side of the missing tooth. First, your dentist will prepare the teeth ,anchoring your bridge in the same manner used to prep for a single crown. Then, a temporary crown will be placed on top of each anchoring tooth. Finally, your dentist will take impressions and send them to a lab for your permanent crowns. After the final crowns are placed, you’ll need to wear a temporary bridge until the three teeth have healed.