Crowns & Bridges

Many people don’t realize the difference between a crown and a bridge. While a crown is used to protect an existing weak tooth, a bridge is used to replace a missing tooth. 

There are many reasons that can lead to a weakened tooth. For example, if the tooth has received multiple large fillings, there is a higher risk of tooth fracture or insufficient tooth volume to place a new filling. Until the right circumstances, a crown is usually recommended. It is placed like a “cap” on the tooth and protect it from most external forces or risk factors. In order to place a crown properly and achieve a normal bite, the tooth will need to be trimmed and reshaped to a certain dimension. 

A dental bridge serves a different purpose. It is usually used to replace a missing tooth if there are teeth on either side of the missing tooth. A bridge usually consists of 2 crowns and a fake tooth (pontic). 

For both a dental crown and a bridge, the preparation process takes a minimum of 1 hour in the dental chair. After the preparation, a dental mould will be taken and sent to the laboratory for the dental technician to construct the final product. A temporary crown will be placed on each prepared tooth until the final product arrives. The entire process should take approximately 2 weeks. It takes 30 minutes to cement in the new crown on the next visit.