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Restorations
Dental Implants | Crowns & Bridges | Silver Fillings
Composite Fillings | Inlays & Onlays
 Crowns & Bridges
The Problem:
- Badly decayed teeth
- Fractured teeth
- Need to protect and strengthen teeth
The Solution:
A crown (often called a cap) covers the tooth and restores it to its original shape and size. Decay is removed and cleaned from the tooth and a highlyaccurate impression or mold is made of the  prepared surface. This mold is used to create a model of the tooth which is then sent to a special laboratory that will create a gold or porcelain (tooth colored) crown. The crown is then cemented onto the prepared surface of the tooth.
A bridge is simply a combination of two or more crowns that “bridge” the space between your teeth. If you are missing any teeth, a bridge is the most natural choice for you to fill that space.
If left unfilled, such a space can allow the surrounding teeth to get out of position and thus make both your teeth and your gums more susceptible to decay and disease. And of course, a fixed bridge will not only improve your ability to chew but it will also help you to maintain a more youthful appearance.
 Advantages:
Crowns are incredibly strong due to the fact that they are created in a laboratory, and protect badly decayed or fractured teeth. This protects and strengthens the remaining tooth structure. In the hands of a skilled dentist, a crown will fit almost perfectly onto the prepared surface of the tooth, reducing the size of the seam between the crown and the tooth. This helps keep decay from eventually occurring under the crown.
Crowns should be placed before the tooth is so decayed that it may fracture. This can often help prevent the expense of root canal therapy in the future. It can also prevent the possibility that a fractured tooth may need to be removed, requiring the expense of a bridge or implant to replace the missing tooth.
Disadvantages:
Crowns are excellent restorations and have few disadvantages. They are highly durable, but they will eventually need to be re-cemented or replaced due to normal wear.
Occasionally, a tooth may still need root canal therapy after being crowned. However, this indicates that the interior of the tooth was already sick (infected) and would have eventually needed root canal anyway.
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