Crown and Bridge

Crowns are used to restore the shape, structure and function of broken down teeth and protect what is left from further damage.

A bridge is simply the replacement of a missing tooth by attaching an artificial tooth to an adjacent remaining tooth by means of a crown.

Before a crown is made, it is necessary for the tooth to be healthy and for the core structure of the tooth to be strengthened. This is especially important after root canal treatment.

Prior to the crown being manufactured, all decay is removed from the tooth and a core is built up that is firmly anchored to the remaining tooth structure. Occasionally a root canal treatment and possibly a post will be required to ensure long term health and function.

Once the tooth is restored in this fashion, the crown is made for its future protection. Initially a temporary crown will be made during the period where the final crown will be manufactured. If there are multiple crowns or changes to the bite are planned, a further provisional crown to the correct shape will be provided before the definitive final crown. Occasionally it is necessary or even desirable for the provisional crowns to be in place for several months while the bite, appearance and the prognosis of the underlying teeth are assessed prior to finalising the definitive crowns.

The final crown or bridge can be made of high strength ceramic (currently we prefer 3M LavaTM zirconia) or a high gold content cast core layered with customised high-strength porcelain to provide the desired appearance and aesthetics and planned final anatomical form.

Occasionally, full gold crowns are still recommended for the best durability especially where space is limited.

For single front teeth, where matching of the porcelain to the adjacent natural teeth must be to a high standard, this may take three or four visits with an attendant laboratory technician to ensure best results.