Dental Crown, Dental Bridge (Birmingham)

Porcelain Crowns

A Dental crown is fitted over what we call a 'viable' tooth which may have been damaged, but is deemed to be otherwise healthy.  Chipped or cracked front teeth are candidates for a front tooth crown that would be custom made for the purpose, the fitting is fairly straight forward.  The treatment time depends upon the preparation of the tooth to which the crown will be fitted and the manufacture of the custom crown.   Since the crown is made from a mould which itself has been formed by the damaged tooth, the final fitting is usually a simple procedure.  Total elapsed time for the fitting of a crown would be around a month, or less.

The difference between a crown and a veneer - a crown covers all surfaces of a tooth whereas a veneer is fitted just to the front surface.  Crowns can be used to enhance the strength of a tooth, if it has been fractured or badly broken down.  A veneer is generally fitted as a set to compliment the whole look of a person's teeth when smiling.  If a tooth has been heavily restored with a dark filling and you want to improve the aesthetic appearance, then a crown may be the most suitable treatment option.  The materials used to construct a crown are the same strong materials used with veneers and look perfectly healthy and natural.   The size, shape and colour of crowns and veneers are designed to match your own existing teeth either singularly, or as part of a new smile makeover.

Porcelain Bridges

If you have one, or more teeth missing then a dental bridge may be used to replace the gaps with artificial, natural looking teeth.   Having a missing tooth can cause a little bit of self consciousness, especially if it affects your speech as well as your appearance.   Once a tooth is lost, the remaining teeth become strained as there is an increased pressure forced on them by your bite.   They may also start to move around, which can cause food-trapping and undesired misalignment.   A bridge is a false tooth (or teeth) that is placed into the gap and is (are) anchored by adjacent teeth.  Bridges can be mounted across two adjacent teeth or perhaps across 2 implants, each case being different and we discuss all of the options with patients during an initial consultation