Crowns & Bridges

Crowns and bridges may be made of metal such as gold and alloys, porcelain, zirconia or a combination of them. Dentistry has shifted tremendously from metal based to more cosmetically oriented solutions, such as metal-free crowns made of porcelain and zirconia. These crowns typically give more realistic cosmetic results without the darkish shade or black lines visible at the gumline with metal-based crowns.

Crowns are often recommended by dentists to treat teeth with large fillings, cracks, or teeth that have had root canal treatments. As they are very strong, crowns work well to protect and extend the lifespan of otherwise weakened teeth. Since crowns do not change colour over time, they are also considered as a permanent cosmetic option, allowing people to alter the shape and colour of their teeth. Depending on the conditions of the existing teeth underneath, crowns and bridges typically last up to 15 years.

Typical crowns and bridges are done over two visits:

• Visit 1: Tooth preparation
  In this visit, your teeth are trimmed down to the appropriate dimensions. A dental impression or digital scans of the prepared teeth are taken and sent to a dental lab, so a crown or bridge can be custom made by a lab technician off-site. This may take up to two weeks to turnaround. Your dentist will cement temporary crowns onto the prepared teeth to protect them during this period.
• Visit 2: Crown or bridge insert
  In this visit, your temporary crowns are removed by your dentist, and the newly made crown or bridge are tried and tested in your mouth to ensure a natural and comfortable fit. If you and your dentist both like the result, the crown or bridge will be inserted with permanent dental cements on the day.
  
  

• Improved Chewing: Damaged or missing tooth makes it hard to chew certain food. Over time you may avoid certain healthy food such as fruits, vegetables or meat, which may eventually lead to nutritional deficiencies.
• Stronger Teeth: Crowns are often used to protect and stabilize fragile teeth that have become weaker due to aging, cracks, root canal therapy, trauma, or large fillings.
• No more Dental Pain: Broken or cracked teeth can be very sensitive and painful. A well-made crown offers the ultimate protection for your tooth and eliminates pain and sensitivity.
• Improved Appearance: discoloured teeth, worn teeth or missing teeth often stop you from smiling. Crowns and bridges are able to restore your appearance and help you feel better about your smile.
• Minimal Treatment Time: dental bridges are great alternative solutions to implant therapy when it comes to replacing missing teeth. Compared to implant therapy which often takes 3 months or longer, dental bridges have a significantly reduced turnaround time. Dental bridge procedures are also less expensive and less invasive than implants sometimes.