Understanding the Basics About Dental Crowns and Dental Bridges

Quick summary

When a tooth is too damaged by decay, trauma or cracking for a filling to be the right answer, a crown may be recommended instead. A crown caps the tooth completely and is made from impressions so it matches your own in size, shape and position. A bridge spans a gap where a tooth is missing, cemented to the two bordering teeth, which are trimmed to hold crowns.

There are times when a tooth is so damaged from decay, trauma, or cracking that a filling isn’t the best choice. In these cases, a dental crown may be recommended for long-term tooth health. If a tooth is missing completely, your dentist may suggest a dental bridge to fill the gap between two bordering teeth.

Dental crowns, or “caps,” completely cover and protect your damaged tooth. It is bonded in place, giving you a stable, strong, and attractive alternative for your original tooth. Because it is customised for you using impressions your dentist makes of your teeth, it is a perfect match in size, shape, and position to your natural tooth.

Dental crowns can be the perfect solution to a severely damaged tooth. You won’t need to worry about pain, tooth stability, or your appearance when you choose a dental crown. Depending on what material is used, your crown can look as natural as your own tooth.

Dental bridges are designed to span a gap caused by a missing tooth. Having a gap in your smile can affect you in more ways than just cosmetics. Chewing and talking can become problematic as teeth adjacent to the gap begin to shift, leaving the potential for gum disease or jaw issues.

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap between two teeth. They are cemented onto the pair of teeth that border the empty space vacated by one or more missing teeth. The bordering teeth act as anchors for the bridge, and are trimmed down to hold a dental crown. Between the two crowns is a replacement tooth, customised for you by your dentist. Once the bridge is in place, you will regain the ability to smile freely while the bridge maintains the shape of your face and lips. You will speak more clearly and be able to eat a greater variety of foods. A dental crown also protects your healthy teeth from issues related to bite alignment.

Dental crowns and dental bridges are excellent choices for overall dental health, and can last a lifetime. To prevent damage to your dental work, avoid chewing things like ice or hard candy. It is also important to maintain regular dental checkups.

We offer dental crowns at our Kogarah and Haymarket dental offices

Questions patients ask us about this

When is a filling not enough?

When the remaining tooth is too damaged by decay, trauma or cracking to support one. A filling relies on there being sound tooth around it; past a certain point a crown that covers and protects the whole tooth is the more durable answer. Ask your dentist to show you what they are seeing before either is recommended.

What happens to the teeth either side of a bridge?

They become the anchors. Both are trimmed down so they can carry a crown, and the replacement tooth sits between those two crowns. That is a real trade-off to understand, because it involves altering two otherwise healthy teeth — it is also the main reason some patients ask about implants instead.

What damages crowns and bridges?

Habits more than time. Chewing ice or hard lollies is the classic way to crack good dental work. Keeping regular check-ups matters too, because the natural tooth and gum underneath still need looking after — the restoration protects the tooth, it does not make it immune.

Where to read more on this at Village Dental Kogarah

Reading about it only gets you so far. These are the pages that explain how our dentists in Kogarah actually treat it, and what a visit involves.

Village Dental Kogarah is at Shop 5/23-26 Station St, Kogarah NSW 2217. Eight clinicians work across our two Sydney practices, including a dental prosthetist — meet the team. We look after patients from Kogarah, Kogarah Bay, Rockdale, Bexley, Bexley North, Carlton, Allawah, Banksia, Monterey and Sans Souci. If you would like to talk it through, call (02) 9281 0007 or book a time online.

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A note on this articleThis is general information written for patients, not dental advice for your own mouth. Teeth, gums and medical histories differ, and so does what suits them, so please have a dentist examine you before deciding on any treatment. If something in your mouth is painful, bleeding or has been knocked out, ring us on (02) 9281 0007 rather than waiting.