If a tooth already has an extensive amount of decay or has been damaged to to injury, the dentist may suggest a crown. A crown is a dental restoration that replicates an entire tooth.

First, an impression is taken of your mouth, and the crown is created in a lab to be a perfect fit for you. Then, the remaining tooth will be reduced and shaped to create the optimal support structure for the restoration. If any decay is present, it will be removed.

The crown will then be bonded to the tooth structure, “capping” it and completing the process. This entire process will take several visits and possibly involve a temporary crown.

A crown is a long term restoration and with careful maintenance and proper oral hygiene can last for decades. It will look and feel just like a regular tooth.

Bridges

Sometimes significant injury or decay can cause you to lose a tooth or necessitate an extraction. If your tooth is beyond repair and needs to be extracted, your dentist may recommend a bridge to replace the tooth.

The teeth adjacent to the missing tooth are prepared as crowns. These teeth act as the supports or “abutments” of the bridge. An impression is taken of the abutment teeth and sent to a lab, where the bridge is created.

The bridge consists of crowns for the abutment teeth which are connected to the replacement for the

missing tooth (called the “pontic”).

The bridge is permanently cemented onto the abutment teeth, and the final result looks and feels like your natural teeth