What is crown?
If a tooth has been broken, or weakened by a lot of decay or a large filling, a crown (or cap) can be fitted. Your dentist will match the artificial crown up to the shape - and, in the case of porcelain crowns, colour - of your other teeth so it will look natural. The crown will last for many years, depending on the health of the tooth underneath. A temporary crown made of plastic or metal is put over the tooth until the permanent crown is prepared.
What are bridges?
A bridge consists of artificial teeth which are permanently fixed to healthy supporting teeth. It is used to replace missing teeth, restoring appearance and function. A bridge can be made from either porcelain, metal or both. When preparing a conventional bridge, the dentist needs to shape the teeth either side of the gap so that they will successfully hold the bridge. There are many bridge designs.
What Is the process for obtaining a crown or bridge?
The process of fitting crowns and bridges requires two visits to the dentist and an approximate 7 days stay or visiting twice for 1 or 2 days.
First visit:
Your dentist may takes X-rays to assess the health of your mouth
Crowns: the tooth receiving the crown is filed down
Bridges: The supporting teeth are trimmed. Preparation involves recontouring these teeth by removing a portion of enamel to allow room for a crown to be placed over them.
A shade guide may be used to select the correct colour of porcelain.
Impressions are taken of the prepared teeth and the teeth of the opposite jaw.
A temporary bridge or crown may be cemented to protect the prepared teeth between visits (avoid hard or sticky food and keep the temporary bridge or crown clean).
Second visit:
The temporary bridge or crown is removed.
The permanent crown or bridge is checked for colour and fit.
If you and your dentist are happy with your crown or bridge, it is permanently fixed in place with cement.
How do I care for my crown or bridge?
While a crowned tooth does not require any special care, you should continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day - especially around the crown area where the gum meets the tooth.
Bridges are cemented in place, so they cannot be removed for cleaning. To keep the teeth healthy, the gap under a bridge must be cleaned daily using special dental floss - an ordinary toothbrush will not do the job. Your dentist will demonstrate how to use floss under your bridge.
What materials are used for crowns and bridges?
Our dentists work with permanent crowns and bridges of porcelain fused to metal or porcelain fused to gold, and also offer metal-free crowns and bridges using eg. the Cercon and Procera systems.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns and bridges can be color matched to your adjacent teeth (unlike the metallic crowns). However, more wearing to the opposing teeth occurs with this crown type compared with metal or resin crowns. The porcelain portion can also chip or break off. Next to all-ceramic crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look most like normal teeth. However, sometimes the metal underlying the crown's porcelain can show through as a dark line, especially at the gum line and even more so if your gums recede. These crowns can be a good choice for front or back teeth.
All-ceramic or all-porcelain dental crowns and bridges provide the best natural color match than any other type and may be more suitable for people with metal allergies. However, they are not as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and bridges and they wear down opposing teeth a little more than metal or resin crowns. All-ceramic crowns are a good choice for front teeth. All-ceramic crowns and bridges of up to four units can be made in the incisal and molar regions. In individual cases, depending on the gap of the bridged teeth, even bridges of up to six units are possible. Additional dental applications are already in the testing phase and are just awaiting test results.
Procera System is a unique system for the fabrication of esthetic and functional dental restorations. A CAD/CAM technology scanning procedure renders a custom manufactured coping. The coping is made of extremely dense-sintered aluminum oxide, produced in an industrial process, which ensures optimal fit, great strength, non-porosity and has the ability to transmit light. Unlike other ceramic crowns, Procera can be recommended for prosthetic reconstructions anywhere in the mouth, due to the strength of the core material. It is made of a bio-compatible material, which minimizes the risk of allergic reactions. The translucent coping offers remarkable esthetic characteristics, recreating the beauty of natural teeth. The flexural strength of Procera proved in tests to be nearly twice that of the product's closest competitor.
CAD/CAM technology scanning procedure renders a custom manufactured coping. The coping is made of extremely dense-sintered aluminum oxide, produced in an industrial process, which ensures optimal fit, great strength, non-porosity and has the ability to transmit light. Unlike other ceramic crowns, Procera can be recommended for prosthetic reconstructions anywhere in the mouth, due to the strength of the core material. It is made of a bio-compatible material, which minimizes the risk of allergic reactions. The translucent coping offers remarkable esthetic characteristics, recreating the beauty of natural teeth. The flexural strength of Procera proved in tests to be nearly twice that of the product's closest competitor.