A crown is a restoration that covers or caps a tooth, restoring it to its normal size and shape while strengthening the tooth and improving appearance. Crowns are necessary when the tooth has broken down to the point where a filling won't be effective. A crown can be used to hold a cracked tooth together to prevent further damage. Crowns are also used to cover and support a tooth with a large filling that doesn't leave much tooth left, attach a bridge, protect a week tooth from breaking, restore a broken tooth, cover a discoloured or misshapen tooth, and cover a dental implant.

What is the procedure like?

Before we fit a crown, Dr. Williams will prepare the tooth, so that the crown can be fitted snuggly and comfortable. Throughout the procedure the tooth would be numbed using local anaesthetic. Dr. Williams will make an impression of the prepared tooth, which will then be sent to the laboratory for the crown to be fabricated. Meanwhile, the toth will be fitted with a temporary crown until the custom made crown is fitted.

What are the different types of crowns available?

There are several different methods of crown restoration, each using a different crown material.

Gold crowns or metal crowns, are made entirely of a metal alloy that can contain several elements including but not limited to gold, platinum, palladium, and others. Compared with other crown types, less tooth preparation is needed.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns are another option and can be colour matched to your adjacent teeth. However, PFM crowns tend to wear down opposing teeth more than metal crowns. The crown's porcelain portion can also chip or break. Next to the ceramic crowns PFM crowns look almost like normal teeth.

All-resin crowns are the least expensive type of crown. However, they are more prone to chips and fractures than others and tend to wear down over time.

All-ceramic or all-porcelain crowns provide the best natural colour of all the crowns. They are the most cosmetically pleasing and are usually used for the front teeth, which are more visible.

Dental Bridges

Bridges are natural-looking replacements for teeth which help maintain facial structure, reduce stress on the jaw and fill in the gaps caused by missing teeth. Fixed bridges are cemented to the existing teeth and do not come out.

Why would I need a bridge?

• A dental bridge can be used to:
• Replace the missing teeth
• Restore your smile
• Reduce your risk of gum disease
• Restore your ability to bite and chew
• Improve your speech
• Prevent remaining teeth from drifting out of position

What are the different types of dental bridges?

There are three main types of bridges:

Traditional bridge
A traditional bridge involves the creation of a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic (false tooth) in between. This is known as a fixed bridge. Fixed bridges cannot be taken out of your mouth, unlike dentures. These are the most common type of bridge and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics.

Resin bonded bridges
A resin bonded bridge, also known as Maryland bonded bridge, is primarily used for your front teeth. They are less expensive and best used when the teeth are healthy and do not have any large fillings. The tooth is fused to metal bands that are bonded to the adjacent teeth with a resin, and hidden from view.

Cantilever bridge
A Cantilever bridge is used in areas of your mouth that are under less stress, such as your front teeth. A Cantilever bridge is used when there are teeth on only one side of the open space.

What is the procedure like?

The first step in creating a dental bridge is to prepare the teeth adjacent to the bridge. This involves restructuring the adjacent teeth by removing a portion of enamel, allowing room for a crown to be placed over them. Next, impressions of your teeth are made, which will be sent to a laboratory in order to fabricate the bridge, pontic, and crowns. This may take up to 2 weeks. While your bridge is being fabricated, you will have a temporary bridge placed to protect your exposed teeth and gums. On your next visit, your temporary bridge will be removed and replaced with the new permanent bridge. Dr. Williams will make sure the bridge fits properly prior to adhering it to your teeth.