Crowns & Bridges

Crown

A crown (cap) is a special method used to restore weak teeth. The crown surrounds and supports the tooth structure, which is not strong enough to support itself. The tooth is reduced and shaped around the outside and across the top so a crown can fit tightly over it. Although there are several types of crowns, porcelain (tooth colored crown) are the most popular, because they resemble your natural teeth. They are highly durable and will last many years. Porcelain crowns are made to match the shape, size, and color of your teeth giving you a natural and long lasting smile. Some reasons for crowns:

• broken or fractured teeth
• previous root canal therapy
• cosmetic enhancement
• decayed teeth
• fractured fillings
• large fillings

Bridges

If you have a missing tooth, a fixed bridge is one of the ways to fill the missing space. It should look and feel natural, have no hooks or clasps, and stay in permanently allowing totally normal function. A bridge is constructed by preparing two crowns on the two teeth next to the space, and then the two crowns are joined together to replace the missing teeth. When teeth are missing the remaining teeth begin to change position, and this can lead to numerous problems, including loss of more teeth. A fixed bridge will prevent teeth from shifting, and stabilise your bite.