Porcelain Crowns/Bridges

What are Porcelain Crowns?

 
Crowns are necessary when a tooth is generally broken down and fillings won't solve the problem. If a tooth is cracked, a crown holds the tooth together to seal the cracks so the damage doesn't get worse.

• No drilling/grinding of your own teeth

• Cover cracked and broken teeth

• Blends in with your teeth with no black line at the gum

• Strong and durable 

Crowns are also used to support a large filling when there isn't enough of the tooth remaining, attach a bridge, protect weak teeth from fracturing, restore fractured teeth, or cover badly shaped or discoloured teeth. Sometimes an underlying metal shell is used under the porcelain if additional strength is needed.

How are porcelain crowns fitted?
Unlike veneers, porcelain crowns cover all surfaces of the tooth and are used only when the tooth is fractured or very broken down. The porcelain used is the same as that used for veneers so they are strong and look just as natural. Crowns are made to improve your overall smile or to blend in with your own teeth. Being made of porcelain they do not leave a black line at the gum level as seen in so many conventional crowns.

Porcelain Crowns with Dental Implants

If your own teeth are not healthy enough or are missing, then a dental implant can be used to fix a crown into the gum for a strong, natural looking replacement.  Replacing poor teeth or filling gaps is one of the most dramatic cosmetic dentistry results and lays the foundation for any additional work e.g. whitening, veneers. 

What does this treatment involve?
Fitting a crown requires at least two appointments. During your first visit, the tooth is prepared for the crown, an impression or mould is made of the tooth, and a temporary crown is placed over the prepared tooth. At the subsequent visit, the temporary crown is removed and the final crown is fitted and adjusted and cemented into place.  If you require a dental implant, this can normally be done at the same time. 

What's a Dental Bridge?

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth.

A bridge is constructed of two "anchor" crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap and a false porcelain tooth or teeth in between. Dental bridges are supported on either side by natural teeth or implants.

The diagrams below show a bridge using anchor crowns over natural teeth and a bridge using crowns fixed with dental implants.