Crown, Bridges and Veneers - Bridges Dental Surgery

Crowns

Sometimes known as a caps, dental crowns are carefully fitted sleeves that sit over an existing tooth to protect it from further damage, and to improve your overall smile.

Crowns can hold cracked teeth together and support bridges, and they are often applied as the final step in root canal treatment. They can also cover discoloured teeth to improve the appearance of your teeth.

Why you may need a dental crown?

A tooth crown may be required if you have a weak or damaged tooth. This ‘sleeve’ fits over the exposed part of the tooth, above the gumline to effectively keep together cracked teeth and prevent further damage. It also protects a worn down tooth from any further wear and tear. A crown may also be fitted where there has been a substantial amount of tooth decay and there is a large filling or a root canal treatment with not enough tooth left to support it. As crowns are shells, they are also used to fit over dental implants or to cover discoloured or misshapen teeth. You may need a crown if you are having a bridge fitted, as they create anchors to hold the bridge in place.

How is a dental crown fitted?

Occasionally a root canal may be required ahead of fitting a crown, if there is any trace of infection or inflamed tissue. The tooth underneath must be as clean and healthy as possible before the crown is fitted. If your tooth is its original size, your dentist may need to file it down to allow the cap to fit snugly in line with the rest of your jaw and not affect your bite.

The dentist will take an accurate impression of your tooth to create a perfectly fitting crown that seamlessly sits alongside your existing teeth. A crown will usually take around two to three weeks to create in a dental laboratory, so before it can be fitted you will be provided with a temporary crown. This is usually made out of acrylic and is held in place with temporary cement to keep your mouth looking and feeling healthy while your crown is custom made. A local anesthesia will be be administered before your permanent crown is fully fitted. Your dentist will first remove the replacement before attaching your unique crown using a permanent dental cement.

What are crowns made from?

Crowns can be made from a variety of materials:

Metal, including gold alloy and other metal-based alloys

Porcelain

Porcelain fused to metal

Porcelain fused to zirconia (A strong base for the crown)

Resin

We routinely recommend the use of porcelain crowns, as they are durable and can be crafted to match the natural shade of your teeth.

Bridges

Dental bridges are a popular and highly successful way of restoring your smile if you’re missing one or more teeth. Living with missing teeth can affect your day-to-day confidence and your health.

Why might I need a bridge?

A bridge is a replacement for one or more missing teeth. It is a good solution if you don’t have many missing teeth, or if your missing teeth are all on one side of your mouth. It is important to replace missing teeth to prevent your remaining teeth from drifting into the empty space, as well as to restore the appearance of your smile.

What is a bridge?

A bridge is made up of two or more crowns that fit to teeth on either side of the gap, which serve as anchors, along with a false tooth in-between.
A bridge will support the false tooth or teeth, and reduce the susceptibility of remaining teeth to decay and gum disease. Some types of bridges rely on sticking the bridge with adhesive to the adjacent teeth. These are called resin bonded bridges.

How is a bridge fitted?

Your dentist will examine your teeth and jaw at your first appointment to evaluate the best course of action. If you have strong enough teeth with good bone support then a bridge could be a great option to restore your smile.

Depending on the type of bridge, the dentist will remove some of the tooth, adjacent to the gap. An impression of your teeth is taken and used to build a bridge that looks natural and matches your mouth exactly. The bridge will be made from metal, porcelain or a combination of both, and the replacement tooth that’s fixed between your bridge will be colour-matched to the rest of your teeth. While your bridge is being made, your dentist may fit a temporary bridge or crown to protect the exposed gum and teeth.

When the bridge is ready, it will be fitted carefully by your dentist, who will make sure it is comfortable before it is fixed in place.

Dental veneers

If you’re unhappy with your smile, we can help. Chipped or damaged teeth, discolourations and gaps between your teeth can change the way you feel. If your self-confidence is affected by the appearance of your teeth, you may be considering dental veneers. Dental veneers are a type of cosmetic dentistry that cover your existing teeth to hide common problems with a new, whiter and brighter finish. At The Bridges Dental Surgery, we can offer advice on whether dental veneers are a suitable solution and the options available to you.

You might be interested in dental veneers if:

You have chipped or broken teeth.

Your teeth are discoloured.

You have gaps between your teeth.

Your teeth have become worn down.

You have misaligned or irregularly shaped teeth.

There are two kinds of dental veneers

Porcelain veneers are long-lasting, natural looking teeth that are crafted in the finest detail to look just like natural teeth by specialist technicians in a dental laboratory. These are usually fitted in two or three appointments and require some preparation to your existing teeth, for example a small amount of your existing enamel needs to be removed in order to adhere the veneers directly to your teeth.

Composite veneers can be applied in one visit. Layers of resin are applied directly to the tooth, masking any damaged enamel, which is then sculpted to the correct shape and size to look just like natural teeth. Composite veneers are a good option if you have stained or slightly damaged teeth, such as a chipped or cracked tooth.

What are dental veneers made from?

Porcelain veneers is a type of glass, which means that this method of teeth coating is not as susceptible to stains as composite veneers, and their overall appearance is also brighter and shinier.

Composite veneers are made from a tooth coloured resin (similar to that used for tooth fillings) and are close to plastic in nature. As resin is porous, it is sensitive to stains. If you have composite veneers fitted is advised that you regularly have them professionally polished at the practice.

How long do dental veneers last?

Dental veneers are a durable way to improve your smile. The lifetime of your veneers is subject to your dental care routine, your lifestyle and the kind of veneer you have had fitted. Well-cared for porcelain veneers will last between 10-20 years, while composite veneers should last between four to eight years. Make sure that you continue to see your dentist regularly. Good communication between you and your dentist will ensure that your veneers last as long as possible and that your natural teeth and gums remain healthy.

How do I get dental veneers?

Porcelain veneers are an irreversible dental procedure, so it’s important that you speak to your dentist. They will discuss all your options and thoroughly examine your teeth and gums. If you are having porcelain veneers fitted then this will usually take two appointments, as the veneers are created to your unique specification in a dental laboratory.

During your first visit, your dentist will remove a small amount of enamel is removed at this stage in order to adhere your veneers to your natural teeth. An impression of your teeth is then made to send to the laboratory. A temporary veneer is also sometimes provided. The teeth are then cleaned and polished and the new, porcelain veneers are fitted using a special adhesive which requires light-curing. After this, any excess material is removed and your teeth are tidied and polished to ensure the perfect, natural finish.

As composite veneers are moulded directly onto your teeth, these can be applied in one visit, so you can walk away with a new smile the same day.