If your tooth is extensively damaged by dental decay or trauma, a crown may be recommended for treatment. Crowns, also known as dental caps, fully envelop the tooth and provide full coverage protection.
Crowns deliver both aesthetic and functional benefits, because they are made to look just like natural teeth and are used to cover:
- Discoloured or poorly shaped teeth
- Teeth that have had root canal treatment
- Teeth that have a large filling that is at risk of crack and fracture
A bridge is the term used for multiple individual crowns connected together to restore or “bridge” a gap created by missing teeth. A simple 3-unit bridge consists of two crowns that are permanently fitted on the sound teeth adjacent to the gap, and another crown to fill in the gap to restore the missing tooth.
In contrast to dentures, which have to be taken out and cleaned daily, a crown or bridge is permanently secured on the teeth and can only be removed by a dentist. Hence, crowns and bridges function and feel more like natural teeth.