Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Crowns and Bridges

Patients may wish to discuss crowns or bridges with a dentist if they have teeth that are weakened, damaged, or missing. These restorations can help maintain the function of your bite, greatly strengthen damaged teeth, and improve their aesthetic appearance.

Common situations where crowns or bridges may be considered include:

• Teeth with extensive decay that cannot be restored with a filling
• Cracked, chipped, or fractured teeth that require additional support
• Teeth that have undergone root canal treatment
• Replacing missing teeth in the bite
• Worn teeth due to natural wear or other factors
• Teeth with large existing restorations that may be at risk of breaking or being lost

Crowns cover individual teeth like a cap to provide protection, restore shape, and maintain function. They are made from much stronger materials than typical filling materials.

Dental bridges can replace one or more missing teeth by anchoring to adjacent teeth or dental implants. This can help maintain normal chewing and bite alignment.

Your dentist will assess your oral health, discuss options, and recommend treatments appropriate for your needs. Early evaluation and care can help support the long-term function of your teeth and bite.

At Providence Dental Care, crowns and bridges are custom-made to suit individual requirements, with modern materials selected to match your teeth and provide long-lasting solutions.

Short answer:

Heavily restored, cracked, or decayed teeth are often best restored with crowns to significantly increase their strength while also improving their appearance.

Modern crowns and bridges often use tooth colored metal ceramics like zirconia, which is incredibly strong, aesthetic, and very friendly to the surrounding gums. When not using zirconia, we often use tooth colored glass-ceramic materials, which are very aesthetic but are not quite as strong or as friendly to the gums as zirconia.

Historically, crowns and bridges were made of metal, and then porcelain was fused to the metal to make it look more aesthetic. These materials do still have a place in Dentistry, but they are being used less commonly.

Looking to the future, these 3D printed hybrid materials will be increasingly used in dentistry, but until the technology is better refined, we will be continuing to use the modern materials that are very well researched, with great long-term track records for our patients.

Visit our blog post deep dive into crowns here

They are long-term restorations

Crowns and bridges are designed to last for many years, but their lifespan depends on the tooth, the material used, the bite, the gums, and how well they are maintained. As crowns are simpler than bridges (being effectively one independent part of a bridge), they tend to last longer than bridges alone. We are aiming for 20+ years of longevity, but whether we hit that mark or not depends on how well they take care of your work after it's placed.

The tooth underneath still matters

A crown or bridge protects and restores the tooth, but the tooth underneath still needs to stay healthy. Decay can still develop around the edges if plaque is left behind, especially near the gumline. The crown/bridge can't decay, but the tooth beneath it still can.

Bite forces can affect longevity

Clenching, grinding, an uneven bite, missing teeth, gum disease, inadequate hygiene, and decay can all place extra stress on crowns and bridges. These factors can increase the risk of chipping, loosening, decay, or failure over time.

Maintenance helps protect the result

Regular dental check-ups, good brushing, cleaning between the teeth, and a night guard, where appropriate, can all help crowns and bridges last longer.

The aim is to camouflage.

A well-made crown or bridge should blend in with your natural teeth as much as possible. We consider the colour, shape, size, texture, and position of the surrounding teeth when planning the final result. For front teeth, we go to much effort to ensure it's looking as good as they can, while still blending in. 

Different areas have different needs

A front tooth often needs a very high level of aesthetic detail because it is visible when you smile and speak. A back tooth may need greater strength because it takes heavier chewing forces. We change materials and techniques depending on what we are trying to achieve.

Material selection is individual

Porcelain and ceramic materials can give excellent natural-looking results, but different materials have different strengths and weaknesses. We decide this on an individual basis, with discussion around what gives the best balance of appearance, strength, and longevity for your situation. We are using predominantly zirconia-based ceramic materials these days, as it has become increasingly possible to achieve great aesthetics with modern material science, while also being extremely strong and durable.