Before Crowning	After Crowning

To make a crown, all the old filling material is removed from the tooth. The remaining tooth is shaped in a specific way right down to the gumline. A mould is then taken of this tooth preparation. Using this mould, a new tooth that is beautifully matched to your other natural teeth, is fabricated in the dental laboratory. To allow time for a highly skilled technician to create this dental work-of-art, a temporary crown is placed in the mouth until you return for the final visit to fix the permanent crown.

Commonly, by the time a tooth needs crowning, other teeth may also be deteriorating and wearing, contributing to generalized breakdown. Gimmicky computer-carved fillings may help to restore the single tooth, but not the surrounding deterioration and wear. The prosthodontist's specialist training is in stable, long-term, dental solutions. This is why he favours the strength and precision of impression made crowns, and the laboratory's ability to finely contour, colour-match and characterize the new crown to your other teeth.

Bridges

If a tooth is missing, but you still have a tooth either side of its space, crowns can be made for its adjacent teeth with an artificial bridging tooth attached to fill the gap. This is called a bridge. The bridge is permanently cemented into place, has no framework in the roof of the mouth, is long-term and exceptionally strong, and creates optimal aesthetics. The process for making a bridge is similar to that for a crown.

BEFORE	AT PREPARATION	AFTER
Heavily worn and missing teeth.	Bridge on the upper jaw. Four crowns on the lower jaw.	Crowns with white gold edges hidden by lip.