Crowns and Bridges
Crowns and bridges are offered by The Dental Team in South Kensington as part of their broad spectrum of modern dental treatments.
What Is A Dental Crown?
A dental crown, otherwise known as a cap, is not a complete tooth replacement. Instead it sits on top of an existing tooth to make it stronger, to make it look better, to keep it the right size to fit with the bite of the teeth, or to bring its shape back to how it was before damage.
Crown Preparation
A tooth has to be prepared for a crown to be placed which ensures that it fits properly and looks aesthetically pleasing. To prepare the tooth, it is filed down to the right shape and height to fit the crown correctly. Often this is done in one appointment, along with impressions of the tooth to ensure correct fitting and finally a temporary crown. In the second appointment, the temporary crown is removed and the permanent crown is placed and secured using a strong dental adhesive.
Why A Crown Is Needed?
A crown can be needed for lots of different reasons. Each patient is unique in their needs, but common reasons for needing a crown are:
- To protect a weak tooth
- To strengthen a cracked tooth
- To strengthen a tooth where a filling is no longer suitable
- To provide the anchor for a dental bridge
- To make a tooth look more aesthetically pleasing
- To complete root canal treatment
- To complete dental implant treatment
Often, a crown will be used as an alternative to extraction and where it is viable to save the tooth.
What Are Crowns Made From?
Modern crowns can be made from a wide variety of materials. Porcelain crowns, gold crowns, porcelain bonded to metal crowns - they all have their pros and cons, and we will explain each type with you when discussing your treatment plan.
Dental Bridges
A dental bridge is used to replace one tooth, or several missing teeth. The bridge supports the replacement tooth (or teeth), which is then secured to the surrounding natural teeth using crowns. The surrounding teeth have to be prepared in the same way a tooth is prepared for an individual crown. A bridge is an attractive and effective tooth replacement for patients with missing teeth although those who wish to avoid having natural teeth prepared as part of the treatment may wish to consider an alternative such as dental implants.
