Crowns and Bridges

Dental Crown

Why do you need a Dental Crown

Crowns are an ideal way to restore teeth that have been broken, or have been weakened by decayor a very large filling. A crown could be used for a number of other reasons, for example if one of your teeth:

• is damaged but not lost you may need a crown to protect what is left of the tooth.
• is discoloured and you would like to improve the appearance of the tooth
• is misshapen and also you would like to improve the appearance of the tooth

a crown can be used to restore its shape, appearance and function. You may need a crown if you have a root canal, a large filling in a tooth or a broken tooth.

What is involved?

1. We will give you a local anesthetic to ensure you feel nothing during the procedure.
2. To make room for the crown, your dentist files down the tooth that needs to be restored.
3. An impression of the filed-down tooth and nearby teeth is taken. This impression is used to custom make your final crown. The crown is built using restorative material (material used for fillings) based on the impression. The final crown will be the right shape for your mouth.
4. Until your final crown is ready, your dentist places a temporary crown over the tooth that needs to be restored. The temporary crown is made from an impression of your tooth before it was filed down. It protects your tooth until the final crown is ready. A temporary crown may not have the same shape and colour as a final crown.
5. On your next visit, your dentist takes off the temporary crown and puts on the final one. Your dentist checks to make sure the crown is the right fit, shape, colour and bite. If it is, your dentist cements the crown into place.

You will need to have at least two visits. The first is to have the tooth prepared, the impressions taken, the shade matched and the temporary crown fitted. The second is to fit the permanent crown.

Dental Bridge

Why do you need a Dental Bridge

A dental bridge covers or "bridges" the gap between missing teeth. After you lose a tooth, your dentist may suggest that you get a bridge. A bridge can keep your other teeth from moving out of place.

Once a bridge is placed, it works just like your natural teeth. A dental bridge is a false tooth, which is fused between two porcelain crowns to fill in the area left by a missing tooth. 

What is involved?

1. During the first visit, the ajpoining teeth are prepared. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them.
2. Next, impressions of your teeth are made, which serve as a model from which the bridge, pontic, and crowns will be made by a dental laboratory.
3. Your dentist will make a temporary bridge for you to wear to protect the exposed teeth and gums while your bridge is being made.
4. During the second visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and the new permanent bridge will be checked and adjusted, as necessary, to achieve a proper fit.