Crown
Crowns may be a suitable option for repairing broken, decayed or root-treated teeth, and can improve tooth strength and appearance.
Shaped like a natural tooth, the crown can be made of porcelain (ceramic), gold or a combination of both, depending on personal choice and its location in the mouth.
Porcelain is usually always used for the front teeth but may be used for the back teeth. This material can be made to appear very natural though several factors affect this and are outlined below;
Some porcelain crowns have metal inside which gives strength and support to the porcelain. This acts as a barrier for light and gives the crown a dull colour. On posterior teeth this won’t be noticed but in the front of the mouth it can occasionally be a problem as the tooth looks duller than the natural teeth.
Bridge
A bridge allows the dentist to replace lost teeth without the use of a denture or dental implant. Basically a false tooth is held in place by being attached to a tooth next door. A bridge uses the teeth on either side of a gap or one side of a gap to anchor onto the missing tooth/teeth. Bridges may only be used if the supporting teeth are strong enough and have good bone support.
When the top of a tooth is lost due to decay there may be very little for the crown to actually hold onto. To gain ‘retention’ as dentists call it, a post is placed inside the tooth which forms a peg on top of the tooth and acts as a seat for the crown. Post crowns have a shorter lifespan than normal crowns as the roots may be brittle and weaker. Usually a post crown is a better option than having the tooth extracted with a subsequent denture or bridge.
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