Dental Crowns and Bridges

What are dental crowns ?

A crown is an artificial covering that fits over the remaining part of a prepared natural tooth. Dental crowns are used for restoring damaged, misshapen, discolored or dysfunctional teeth. It surrounds the teeth like a cap and enables us to restore the tooth as needed.

What are dental bridges ?

A bridge is an artificial tooth (called a pontic) that is held in place by the adjacent teeth on either side of the gap. The adjacent teeth should be crowned in order to hold the pontic. It is a quick and convenient method for restoring missing teeth.

We have two types of crowns/bridges which are made from two different materials.

Metal Porcelain Crowns/ Bridges (PFM):

The core of the crown itself is made from nickel based metal with an overlay of white porcelain fused to the outside. It is a more affordable option but grey metal core exposes from the gum margins over time. They cannot be used on patients with nickel allergy.

Zirconium Porcelain Crowns/ Bridges (Zirconia):

The core of the crown itself is made from Zirconium Dioxide which digitally milled from a solid block and heated up to extreme temperatures to make it very durable. Then porcelain is overlayed on the core as to create tooth morphology. Zirconia crowns and bridges are better options for aesthetics and they are usable on patients with nickel allergy. While most crowns last about 10 years, Zirconia crowns can last a lifetime if cared properly.