Crown & Bridges are two common dental procedures used to restore chewing function to damaged or missing teeth.

Crown

A crown is also known as a dental cap. It is a prosthetic device used to cover a damaged or decayed tooth to protect it and restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. A crown is similar in shape and size to a natural tooth, and they come into contact with the opposite tooth in a normal way. A crown should feel like a regular tooth when it comes to function and allow food to be chewed properly. Crowns are typically made of ceramic, porcelain, metal, or a combination of materials, and are custom-made to fit your tooth precisely.

A crown may be recommended by a dentist to protect a weakened tooth, repair a broken or cracked tooth, restore a tooth after a root canal treatment, or improve the appearance of a discolored or misshapen tooth. The process of getting a crown usually involves preparing the tooth by removing a portion of its outer layer, taking an impression of the tooth, and having the crown fabricated in a dental laboratory. Once ready, the crown is cemented onto the tooth using dental adhesive.

Use of a Crown

Your dentist may recommend a crown in several places. These are as follows.

1. Cover the tooth where root canal treatment is done by the dentist.
2. Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth.
3. Cover a dental implant
4. Protect a weak tooth from fracturing.
5. Restore a fractured tooth.
6. To cover a large filling.
7. Attach a bridge

Bridge

A bridge is a prosthetic device used to replace one or more missing teeth when functioning teeth are available on both sides of the missing tooth. The adjacent teeth, called retainers, are covered by the bridge in exactly the same manner as a crown covers a single tooth. The difference is that the bridge connects the crowns to a fake tooth replacement in the missing tooth space.

Bridges can be made of ceramic, porcelain, metal, or a combination of materials and are custom-made to match your existing teeth. The main benefits of bridges are that they do not require surgery and are a quick way to replace 1 or 2 missing teeth.