Crowns: 

Dental crowns or “caps” are an outer shell type product design to reinforce teeth or to create a confident smile.  

They are designed to reinforce teeth that are cracked, broken down, or have limited natural remaining tooth structure.  There are different type of crown materials.  Conventional crowns consist of porcelain fused to underlying metal material.  The metal can be an alloy of different types, or gold.  There is also option for dental ceramic crowns.  All ceramic crowns are the product of choice for front teeth due to the lifelike appearance and highly esthetic materials. Now a days we can do a ceramic crown for back teeth fabricated from zirconia material.  Many patients look to create a smile that is unique and customizable.  Gold crowns and open face crowns (where there is a gold rim outline on a ceramic crown) are also a common choice selection for some patients.  In our North Quincy office we can offer different types of crown products.

   

Bridges:

Bridges are still a popular choice and perfect option for many patients today.  Bridges are permanently placed in your mouth over teeth and cannot be removed like dentures.  The purpose of a bridge is to replace missing teeth in your mouth.  This is done by selectively prepping, or shaping the teeth adjacent to the missing teeth area.  A model of the prepped teeth will be made and the bridge that is customized will be cemented in place.  

Why you would choose a bridge: 

1. If your teeth adjacent to the missing teeth/ space have large, old fillings or have broken cusps they would benefit from coverage.  These teeth would essentially have a reinforcing outer layer of porcelain or high noble alloy/porcelain material to hold the tooth together while chewing or masticatory forces are applied to the tooth.  (One can still opt for individual crowns for these teeth and and implant.  The bridge is a much more cost effective option.)  

2. There is not enough bony support for an implant.  If the missing tooth was removed some time ago there may be bone loss.  Often the bone can be restored by bone grafting or ridge splitting techniques.  If this is not an option for the patient then a bridge is an excellent choice.

3. Many patients prefer a bridge.  A bridge is quicker to do in terms of placement and healing.  A bridge can be done the same day a tooth is removed.  Some patients do not want to have dental implant surgery done as a personal preference.