Crowns, bridges and dentures

What are Crowns?

A crown is a hard protective covering that is placed over a tooth to hold the tooth together and prevent further damage occurring to the weakened tooth. The crown can be made of a variety of substances, typically plastic or metallic in nature. The plastic ones are generally cheaper, but don't tend to last as long as a metal based crown. Porcelaine, empress and lava crowns are the most common kinds that give an enhanced esthetic look. Crowns are sometimes used to esthetically enhance the smile, reduce spaces between teeth and optimize alignment.

What are the bridges?

A bridge, also known as a fixed partial denture, is a dental restoration used to replace a missing tooth by joining permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants. There are different types of bridges, depending on how they are fabricated and the way they anchor to the adjacent teeth. Conventionally, bridges are made using the indirect method of restoration however, bridges can be fabricated directly in the mouth using such materials as composite resin. A bridge is fabricated by reducing the teeth on either side of the missing tooth or teeth by a preparation pattern determined by the location of the teeth and by the material from which the bridge is fabricated. In other words, the abutment teeth are reduced in size to accommodate the material to be used to restore the size and shape of the original teeth in a correct alignment and contact with the opposing teeth. The dimensions of the bridge are defined by Ante's Law: The root surface area of the abutment teeth has to equal or surpass that of the teeth being replaced with pontics