Other Patient Guides: Veneers, Dental Implants

Dental Smile Patient Guide:
Crown & Bridge

If you're having a crown, a number of crowns, or a permanent bridge designed, our aim is to ensure the most aesthetic and functional results possible. Your cooperation and understanding are especially important. We'll take you step by step through the crown and bridge treatment. And we encourage you to ask questions along the way!

What is a crown?
What is a bridge and why are crowns involved?
Why is crown and bridge treatment necessary?
What are the benefits of crown and bridge treatment?
How is the treatment performed?
What is the best way to care for a crown and bridge?

Crown and bridge treatment will restore lost teeth, support remaining teeth, and help you maintain optimum dental health.

If you're faced with tooth loss, crown and bridge treatment may be the right restorative option for you. This long-term solution can help prevent the cycle of problems that can occur when just one tooth is missing, such as shifting of the remaining teeth, decay, periodontal disease, and bone loss. We hope this page helps you understand why restoration through crown and bridge treatment is so important and what the procedure involves.

As a result of tooth loss, tooth(A) has over-erupted and tooth(B) has drifted forward causing gaps to open resulting in food-trap.

What is a crown?

A crown - sometimes called a "cap" - is a tooth-like covering placed over a carefully prepared existing tooth. Used to strengthen, restore, or improve the appearance of your natural tooth, a crown is placed on an individual tooth much like a thimble over your finger. Crowns serve many functions in addition to being used to strengthen a tooth to accommodate the attachment of a fixed bridge. One of the most common is to support the tooth when there is no longer sufficient tooth structure left to place a filling. Crowns may also be used to protect the structure of a tooth that is fractured or broken.

Crowns and Bridges are often made from superior materials such as semi-precious or precious metals, porcelain, or a combination of metal fused to porcelain.

What is a bridge and why are crowns involved?

A bridge is a custom device anchored to neighbouring teeth and which replaces one or more missing teeth. When a lost tooth is replaced with bridgework, the teeth on either side of the missing one must be prepared as crowns to serve as abutments to hold the prosthetic (replacement) teeth in place.

Both appearance and function are considered when selecting the material most suitable for you.

We will make every effort to ensure your comfort during and after crown and bridge treatment. Our goal is to help you to preserve your smile for a lifetime.

Why is crown and bridge treatment necessary?

Losing a permanent tooth - whether due to dental decay, periodontal (gum) disease, injury or accident - can cause many serious problems for your neighbouring teeth. Because the support and chewing forces are altered, the remaining teeth may begin to shift. The opposing tooth above or below the lost tooth can begin to move up or down or out of the socket, which can accelerate periodontal disease and further break down the bone structure.

If the missing tooth is not replaced, more teeth may eventually be lost due to the improper forces exerted during chewing.

What are the benefits of crown and bridge treatment?

Crown and bridge treatment reverses the negative impact of missing teeth in a variety of ways:

Restores and maintains the natural bite
Prevents unnatural stress on other teeth
Keeps opposing teeth in their proper place
Prevents tilting and shifting of the adjacent teeth
Discourages further dental decay and periodontal disease
Enhances your smile, speech, and chewing function

How is the treatment performed?

Once we determine that crown and bridge treatment is indicated, a series of appointments will be scheduled for you. It is important for you to keep all of these appointments, to prevent any delays in treatment. At the first appointment, we complete a thorough oral examination, including an evaluation of your dental history. Any necessary x-rays are completed at this time.

During the restorative procedure, we first anaesthetise the area to be treated. Next, we carefully shape and contour the tooth or teeth to be crowned to allow the crown or bridge sufficient space for proper fit and appearance. Finally, we make an impression of the area and fit the teeth involved with a temporary crown or bridge to protect them until your next appointment.

At the following appointment, we evaluate the final crown or bridge for proper fit, before placing it permanently, making any final adjustments if necessary. Other factors that we carefully consider at this time include:

Aesthetics - colour match and appearance
Function - chewing and biting accuracy
Tissue compatibility - the contour of the bridge must conform to the surrounding tissue in a natural, healthy position

(1) Your teeth will be fitted with provisional coverage until your next appointment: (2) The new prosthesis is adjusted and permanently cemented.

What is the best way to care for a crown and bridge?

Care for it as you would any of your other teeth you wish to preserve! Proper oral hygiene, including flossing at least once a day and brushing twice daily, is just as important as ever to keep your teeth and gums healthy, along with regular dental hygiene appointments.

To make the most of your investment, it's important that you follow our recommendations - including making adjustments to your diet. We recommend avoiding sticky foods like caramels, gum and toffee, and crunchy foods like hard sweets and pork crackle. And please, don't chew ice cubes!

A final word...

We'll be happy to answer any questions you may have throughout your crown and bridge treatment. During the process we will do everything we can to ensure your comfort. Our goal is to help you to preserve your smile for a lifetime.