Crowns & bridges

A crown is a type of dental restoration used to restore the form and function of a tooth that has been broken, weakened by decay or contains a large filling. A couple of appointments are required to make a crown. The first appointment involves the preparation and impressions and the second is when the crown is fitted. Crowns are made in a lab by a dental technician and can be constructed from a variety of different materials. Your dentist will be able to provide you with the information about the different types of crowns.
In addition to crowns, inlays and onlays can also be made by the lab to restore the form and function of a tooth. An inlay sits in a hole in the tooth whereas an onlay sits on the tooth to build up the shape, similar to a crown but higher up.

A bridge is used to ‘bridge’ the gap of a missing tooth or teeth and is a fixed option to replace missing teeth. A couple of appointments are required to make a bridge. The first appointment involves the preparation and impressions and the second is when the bridge is fitted. The preparation of a bridge involves altering one or more teeth adjacent to the gap. Some bridges have crowns at each end, whereas others are fixed to the surface of teeth next to the gap. Bridges can help to distribute the forces of your bite correctly and prevent the remaining teeth from moving out of position. If the supporting teeth are not strong enough to support a bridge then a denture or implant may be a suitable alternative.