Crowns and Bridges

Whether you have a broken tooth or one that’s missing, you rely on quality restorations that help your smile look and feel as best as possible. Our practice offers customised porcelain crowns and bridges that are uniquely matched to each individual patient. In some cases, even the lab technician provides custom colour matching for optimal aesthetic results.
Dental Crowns
A crown is a full-coverage restoration that adds strength and support to structurally-damaged teeth. You may need a crown if you fit one of the following criteria
  • Recent root canal treatment
  • Large filling that’s starting to break
  • Severe tooth wear
  • Aggressive decay (cavities)
  • Placement of a single dental implant
Crowns protect structurally-compromised teeth to help them hold up to normal everyday wear. Otherwise, typical biting and chewing pressure would cause the remaining tooth structure to gradually break apart. If too much damage is present, the tooth cannot be restored at all.

The Crown Treatment Process

Since your tooth is reduced for a crown to fit over it, we’ll need to numb the tooth with local anaesthetic first. Then the tooth is prepped and reshaped. Next we take a mould and send it to our lab with specifications for the best colour match. If you’re needing a crown on a front tooth or several front teeth, we highly recommend seeing our lab technician for a custom face-to-face shade match to ensure the best aesthetic results. In the meantime we’ll place a temporary crown over your tooth. You’ll want to return about 10 days later to have the permanent crown tried on and bonded into place. Occasionally some additional adjustments are needed to ensure things fit properly.

Dental Bridges
Bridgework is a good option if you have a missing tooth with two sound teeth on either side of the gap. If those teeth have existing large fillings or need crowns, the bridge can add additional reinforcement. When affixed into place, the crowns suspend a fake tooth between them, filling in the space.

The treatment process for bridgework is similar to that of having a crown made. But in this case two teeth are prepped instead of one. The only exception is if we’re placing a pair of dental implants to support a multi-tooth bridge instead of a removable partial.

Investing in a dental bridge is ideal if you don’t want a removable denture or do not qualify for a dental implant. However, it’s worth mentioning that bridges can be slightly invasive if the supporting teeth do not require reinforcement for functional purposes.
Crown and Bridge Maintenance
To help your crown and bridgework last as long as possible, brush and floss around each restoration daily. Although the porcelain cannot decay, the supporting tooth underneath is still susceptible to bacteria. Plan checkups every six months so that we can evaluate your dental work routinely.

For bridgework, use a floss threader to work floss underneath. Or consider using a water flosser instead. The key is to clean along the margins of your restoration twice a day, as buildup may be heaviest in those areas. Keeping your new crowns and bridges clean will lower your risk of gum disease or recurring tooth decay in those applicable teeth.

RESERVE AN EXAM

Could a dental crown or bridge give you your smile back? Contact us today to reserve an appointment.
Any invasive or surgical procedure may carry risks. Before moving forward, it is recommended that you seek a second opinion from an appropriately licensed medical professional.