Crowns are used to strengthen teeth badly damaged by breakage or decay, or to improve the appearance of discoloured or misshapen teeth. Veneers cover less of the tooth so preserve more natural tissue. Bridges are used to replace missing teeth without using a denture by joining the artificial tooth to the tooth or teeth next to the space.

The Technique:

Tooth is numbed.

All decay and weakened enamel is removed from the tooth.

For crowns and bridge supports a metal or plastic band may be placed around the tooth to help produce a core of suitable shape that will support the definitive crown. If the tooth has been root-filled, a metal or ceramic post may be inserted into the root canal to provide extra strength.

Impressions are taken and temporary crowns or veneers fitted.

After about 2 weeks, the temporaries are removed and the new crown, bridge or veneer fitted.

Crowns and bridges may be made of gold or tooth-coloured materials. Gold is less popular than before as people become more conscious of the appearance of their mouths.  Tooth coloured crowns and bridges are often made of a precious metal substructure for strength, covered with porcelain for a natural appearance. There are also new, highly cosmetic solid porcelains which can be used in selected cases. Veneers are made of a  very hard and durable tooth-coloured porcelain or of composite resin.

What to expect after crowns, bridges and veneers:

The area surrounding the injection site may be tender for a couple of days. The treated tooth may react abnormally to hot and cold at first, and may stay sensitive with extremes of temperature (eg. ice cream) for several months (especially gold and metal-based crowns). Teeth which have been root-filled teeth do not react to temperature. The surrounding teeth may feel uncomfortable for several days while slight changes to position occur during settling-in. Any pain or sensitivity should show definite signs of reducing over the first few days. If it doesn't, or gets worse, contact the dentist.

If the tooth feels 'proud' when the injection wears off, it will need adjusting by the dentist, otherwise, it may break.

Sometimes,  despite our best efforts at repair, a  tooth which has already been badly damaged by decay or breakage may fail weeks or months after the crown, bridge or veneer has been placed, and  require further treatment or even extraction.