Fixed Prosthodontics

Crown

A crown is a restoration that covers or “caps” your natural tooth. Crowns are custom-made to fit your tooth, and therefore match the shape, size and color of your nearby, natural teeth.

Why is a Crown Needed?

There is not enough remaining tooth structure for the tooth to be restored with a filling
A tooth has fractured
To prevent future fracture and loss of tooth structure
To esthetically restore a dark tooth where bleaching is not effective
As a final restoration following placement of a dental implant
To protect a posterior tooth following a root canal procedure

What is a Crown Made From?

Crowns are made from many different types of materials. The dentist considers the look and function of a crown when choosing which material to use. Crowns are most commonly made from porcelain fused to a metal substructure, all ceramic or porcelain, or full cast metal alloy.

How to Care for a Crown?

Crowns, like your natural teeth, require regular brushing, flossing, and dental cleanings to prevent plaque and calculus from building up along the gum line, or recurrent decay from occurring at the margins.

Bridge

A bridge is a restoration which uses healthy teeth to anchor a false tooth or teeth across a space created by tooth loss. The teeth on either side of the space are prepared so the bridge can be anchored or cemented into place. Bridges are custom made to match the shape, size, and color of your nearby natural teeth, and restore biting function.

Advantages of a Bridge

Looks and feels much like natural teeth
Restores biting function to an area where a tooth has been lost
Cemented into place, so not something you take in and out like a removable partial denture.
May cost less than replacing a missing tooth with an implant

Disadvantage of a Bridge

A Bridge may place more stress or strain on the teeth next to the space or missing tooth.
Because the bridge is cemented into place it can be more complicated to clean under and around the bridge.

Veneers

Veneers are thin, shell-like dental restorations often fabricated from composite resin or porcelain that are custom made to improve the size, shape or shade of your teeth. Veneers are attached to the front or facial surface of your teeth with a type of dental cement.

How to Care for Veneers

Veneers like your natural teeth require regular brushing, flossing, and dental cleanings to prevent plaque and calculus from building up along the gum line, or recurrent decay from occurring.