1. What are dental crowns and tooth bridges?

A dental crown (some people call it a "cap") is a type of restoration that covers and protects all or most of a decayed or damaged tooth. Restorative crowns are usually made of gold, porcelain or a combination of both and are used when a tooth cannot be restored with a filling. A dental bridge is used when one or more teeth are missing. It usually involves putting a crown on each tooth on both sides of the missing tooth, and then a false tooth or teeth is suspended between the crowns. The replacement tooth is shaped to fit the contours of its adjacent teeth, and the bridge is cemented to the teeth so it doesn' t come off.


2. When is a crown necessary?

A dental crown is needed when a tooth is badly broken down, there are large fillings or a large area of tooth decay, because a filling isn' t strong enough. A dental crown is needed also to cover a dental implant.


3. How long will crowns last?

With care, crowns and bridges last 5 - 15 years, some a lot longer. If any harm is noticed to the structure of the crown or bridge an immediate trip to the dentist is recommended to avoid extra damage due to the weakened structure.


4. How is a bridge different than a crown?

A bridge is designed to replace a tooth that is entirely missing. The crowned teeth on both sides of the missing tooth sustain the false tooth. A regular crown is merely covering the remnants of a damaged tooth.


5. Why do crowns fall?

Sometimes the crowns can lose adhesion from the tooth underneath. One has to go back to the dentist to re-cement it properly. If the crown still fits well and no decay is found, old cement inside of the crown needs to be cleaned out and also the tooth needs to be checked to make sure there is no tooth decay involved.


6. How do crowns work?

Crowns should look and work exactly like your regular teeth. Their purpose is to restore the full function and esthetics of your teeth. However, while a crowned tooth does not require any special care, remember that simply because a tooth is crowned does not mean the underlying tooth is protected from decay or gum disease. Therefore, continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day-especially around the crown area where the gum meets the tooth.