How is a bridge different than a crown?

A crown is something that is made to restore a single tooth to it's proper form and function. It may be necessary because the tooth has extensive decay, or has been filled so many times that there isn t enough structure to fill any longer. It may be required as the result of an injury, such as a blow to the jaw, or an automobile accident. It may be made out of gold, gold and porcelain or only porcelain, depending on the tooth being treated and the cosmetic and or strength requirements. A bridge consists of at least 2 crowns- depending on how many teeth are missing. A bridge is constructed to replace missing teeth. It is called a bridge because it spans a space (where the missing tooth or teeth were). The advantages of a bridge are that it restores missing teeth for better function (eating, speaking) and aesthetics. It is cemented to the teeth on either side of the space , so it is not removable. This makes it more like natural teeth in terms of eating, speaking and cosmetics. There are several disadvantages to a bridge. It requires preparing the teeth on either side of the space- so if they do not already have filings or crowns)("virgin teeth"), it means irreversibly c sacrificing tooth structure that doesn't have a cavity or decay. Once in place, since it is not removable, it is more difficult to clean. This may mean that the breakdown of the trapped food and bacteria can cause bad breath. It may also mean that new decay or cavities may form around the bridge, which would necessitate the bridge being cut off, removing the new decay/cavity and having less structure to support the new bridge that must be made. In fact that is one of the major reasons that a bridge would need to be replaced. Another reason it might need to be replaced is that a piece of the false tooth (know as a "pontic") may fracture off, resulting in a cosmetic issue or causing food impaction or irritation to the gums and bone. Since the bridge is made in an dental laboratory, in an oven, utilizing high heat and pressure, the broken bridge generally cannot be repaired in the mouth.