Dental Crown and Bridges

A dental crown or cap, as the name suggests, is a covering over your natural tooth which can solve many purposes such as strengthening it if it is excessively decayed and cannot be restored, covering the discolored portion, after a root canal treatment, covering the stains that cannot be bleached and when a heavily restored tooth has lost the filling.

There are various instances where you may need a dental crown. Some of which are-

• A root canal treatment warrants the use of a crown to increase its longevity and also strengthen it at the same time.
• If you have got a discolored tooth because of trauma or if the overall appearance of your teeth has become yellowish and cannot be whitened by professional bleaching.
• If your tooth has weakened due to heavy restoration or has chipped off some portion or has cracked.

A dental bridge is the replacement of your missing tooth or teeth. It comprises of basically three parts. A crown, which is the actual replacement of lost tooth and resembles the white part of your tooth which is visible in the mouth, pontic, which takes support from the adjacent teeth for the crown part and a connector that, connects the crown to the pontic.

You may need a dental bridge to replace a missing tooth or teeth. A dental bridge, however, cannot be used for huge gaps and may sometimes require the help of an implant, which is called implant supported bridges.

Typically, for a dental crown, your dentist will reshape the tooth to make it a bit smaller to make space for the crown. For a dental bridge, you may either need anaesthesia or root canal treatment for the adjacent supporting teeth, whatever your dentist seems fit for you. Then the crown part of the supporting teeth is similarly reduced in size as in the crown placement. Then your dentist will make an impression of your teeth to measure the exact dimensions of the prepared tooth or teeth. A crown or a bridge is then fabricated in a dental lab in a few days after which your dentist will cement it to your prepared tooth or teeth.

In general, the procedure is not painful. But for sensitive people who may have a lower threshold of pain, local anaesthesia can be administered.

In the time between making an impression by your dentist to the cementation of the permanent crown, the prepared tooth or teeth need protection from damage which is the primary purpose of temporary crowns which is temporarily glued to your prepared tooth by your dentist. They simultaneously make you free to attend your social appointments without anyone knowing about your ongoing dental treatment.

Crowns can be made of stainless steel, ceramic, a combination of metal and ceramic where the outer layer is of tooth-colored ceramic material while the inner is of metal or they can also be made of gold. Bridges are generally made of metal and ceramic or entirely of ceramic. Their prices vary widely and so, talk to your dentist about what will suit you best.

Regular brushing and flossing are the only maintenance that is required for your crown and bridge, just like your natural teeth.

Dental crowns and bridges may last anywhere between 5-15 yrs depending on oral hygiene maintenance.

A metal-ceramic crown will cost you anywhere between……………. While an all-ceramic has a higher price range of…………… Dental bridges have their pricing according to the number of units they have, i.e., the number of crowns that they contain. A typical 3 unit metal ceramic bridge will cost around…… while its all-ceramic counterpart will cost around…