A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth -- to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance.
The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.
See Before and After Pictures of Cosmetic Dentistry :
A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:
Root canal treatment consists of several steps that take place over several office visits, depending on the situation. These steps are:
Missing a tooth and having a gap in between your teeth isn’t just unsightly, it can cause other problems. Talking and chewing may be
difficult. Teeth adjacent to the space will eventually begin to shift into the empty space which will affect your bite, may lead to
gum disease and possibly even jaw joint disorders like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues.
One way to take care of a gap caused by a missing tooth is with a dental bridge. There are removable dental bridges, also called
partial dentures, that can be removed and cleaned like dentures, and there are permanent dental bridges, sometimes called fixed
partial dentures.
A dental bridge is called a bridge because it literally bridges the gap where one or more teeth used to be. Bridges are cemented to
the teeth adjacent to the empty space. The adjacent teeth, called abutments, serve as the anchors for the bridge. The adjacent teeth
are trimmed down and capped with a crown, and then a replacement tooth, called a pontic, is attached to those crowns to form the
bridge. The unit is securely cemented to your teeth and your smile and ability to chew food is improved.
There are several types of dental bridges. Each bridge is made with different materials and is better suited for certain areas of the mouth and for certain types of situations. Your Dental Associates dentist will recommend the best type of dental bridge based on your individual circumstance.