A dental crown is a tooth fabricated from porcelain, ceramics, metals, or a combination of the three to cover and protect a damaged natural tooth and prevent its' further deterioration. A dental crown is indicated for many reasons, which include:
- Teeth that are chipped or broken
- Teeth with large existing fillings that are at a high risk of fracture
- Root canal treated teeth that are at a high risk of fracture
- Teeth that are otherwise unesthetic
A Bridge is a span of connected dental crowns that will replace a missing tooth by being supported on either side of a gap.
Crowns and bridges take two visits to complete. In the first visit, the tooth (or teeth in the case of a bridge) are prepared to receive the crowns. An impression of the teeth are taken and sent to the lab with the desired color. A temporary crown/bridge is fabricated and placed in the pt's mouth and cemented with a temporary cement. In 2-3 weeks, the final crowns will be returned from the lab and can be permanently cemented in the mouth.