Crowns & Bridges
Restoring broken down teeth and small spaces
Crowns
When a tooth is very broken down, or has a large fracture, it is not always possible to place a filling. Made outside of your mouth, crowns can be used to support the remaining tooth, allowing you to smile and eat comfortably.
Additionally crowns can be used for cosmetic reasons, altering the shape and shade of a tooth, or even correcting minor irregularities. More minimally invasive techniques such as alignment, whitening, or composite bonding can also be considered.
Bridges
Where there are smaller spaces in your mouth a bridge may be used. This attaches to one or both of the teeth either side. Bridges need to be carefully considered as they can involve preparing healthy teeth, with potential negative consequences. Additionally bridges can increase the forces on your own natural teeth, again with potential complications development.
Many patients considering bridges opt for dental implants, which while more expensive initially, can give more stable long term results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can crowns be used to improve my smile?
Crowns can improve the appearance of your smile. However you should also think about other options involving alignment, whitening, or composite bonding.
Do I need a crown after root canal treatment?
Teeth requiring root canal treatment are often very broken down, and may have other structural weaknesses. Crowns should be considered following root canal treatment to give the best long term result.