Smile Design
At Skene Street Dental Practice we provide expert cosmetic dental work for our patients. To see the results of our cosmetic dentistry work, browse through our galley at the before and after photos of dental crowns, amalgam filling replacement and dentures.
Dental Crowns & Bridges
What are Dental Crowns & Tooth Bridges?
Both crowns and most bridges are fixed prosthetic dental devices. Unlike removable dental devices such as dentures which you can take out and clean daily, crowns and bridges are cemented onto existing teeth or implants, and can only be removed by your dentist at Skene Street Dental Practice.
How do Dental Crowns work?
A crown is used to entirely cover or “cap” a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of a dental implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. These alloys are generally stronger than porcelain and may be recommended for back teeth. Porcelain bonded to a metal shell is often used because it is both strong and attractive.
Your dentist may recommend a crown to:
- Replace a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
- Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
- Restore a fractured tooth
- Attach a bridge
- Cover a dental implant
- Cover a discoloured or poorly shaped tooth
- Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment
Bridges
Besides having dental implants, there are two main ways to replace missing teeth.
The first is with a removable false tooth or teeth – a partial denture.
The second is with a fixed bridge.
A dental bridge is usually used where there are fewer teeth to replace, or when the missing teeth are only on one side of the mouth. Bridges are usually made of a precious metal base.
If the bridge will show, porcelain is then bonded to the base. Sometimes, there are other non-precious metals used in the base to reduce the cost.
You should replace missing teeth for a number of reasons. Your appearance is one reason. Another is that the gap left by a missing tooth can mean greater strain is put on the teeth at either side.
A gap can also mean your ‘bite’ is affected, because the teeth next to the space can lean into the gap and alter the way the upper and lower teeth bite together. This can then lead to food getting packed into the gap, which causes both decay and gum disease.