When a tooth is at risk of fracturing, we may recommend a crown be placed on this tooth. A tooth may be at risk for fracture due to significant decay, damage it has sustained, or if it has a root canal. A crown is a cap made of porcelain or metal that covers the entire tooth to give it stability and to help protect it from breaking. 

Normally, this is a two-appointment procedure. During the first appointment, we prepare the tooth for the crown and take an impression to send to a dental
lab where the crown is made. A temporary crown is made for the tooth so you can use the tooth between appointments. On the second appointment, we try the crown in the mouth and make sure that it fits your tooth, and that you are happy with how it looks. If everything looks great, the crown is cemented onto the tooth and then adjusted to fit your bite. With porcelain crowns, we match the crown to the colour of your other teeth.

A bridge is a restoration that may be recommended to replace one or more missing teeth. To make a bridge, the teeth on either side of the missing tooth/teeth are used as anchor teeth. These anchor teeth are prepared for crowns and when the lab makes the crowns they connect (or bridge) them together with a tooth or teeth to fill the space. Like crowns, bridges require two appointments. When the bridge is made, it is then fit properly and cemented in the mouth. Bridges are typically made of porcelain or metal.