Missing or damaged teeth don’t just affect your smile—they can also impact chewing, speaking, and confidence.
Dental crowns and bridges are two of the most common solutions to bring back both function and beauty.
A crown is like a cap that covers a damaged tooth.
It restores the tooth’s shape, size, strength, and appearance.
- To protect a weak or cracked tooth
- After a root canal treatment
- To restore a worn or broken tooth
- To cover a dental implant
- To improve the look of a discolored or misshaped tooth
A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth.
It’s made up of crowns on the teeth next to the gap (called abutments) with an artificial tooth (pontic) in between.
- To fill the gap of a missing tooth
- To restore chewing and speaking ability
- To prevent teeth from shifting out of place
- To maintain facial shape and smile aesthetics
- Preparation: The tooth/teeth are shaped to fit the crown or bridge.
- Impression or Scan: A digital scan or mold is taken.
- Temporary Restoration: A temporary crown or bridge protects your teeth while the lab creates the final one.
- Final Placement: The custom-made crown or bridge is cemented securely in place.
With proper care, crowns and bridges can last 10–15 years or longer.
Care Tips:
- Brush and floss daily
- Use floss threaders or interdental brushes around bridges
- Visit your dentist regularly for checkups
- Avoid chewing very hard foods like ice or hard candy
Crown
- Purpose
Protects and restores a single damaged tooth - How It Works
A cap covers the existing tooth or implant - Best For
Broken, weak, or discolored teeth - Look & Feel
Looks like a natural tooth - Procedure Time
Usually 2 visits (prep + placement) - Longevity
10–15 years or more with care - Care Needed
Brush & floss like normal
Bridge
- Purpose
Replaces one or more missing teeth - How It Works
Anchored by crowns on neighboring teeth with a false tooth in between - Best For
Gaps caused by missing teeth - Look & Feel
Looks like natural teeth filling the gap - Procedure Time
Usually 2–3 visits (prep, impressions, placement) - Longevity
10+ years with good oral hygiene - Care Needed
Brush, plus special floss/threaders for cleaning under the bridge
Overview
A crown is used to entirely cover or “cap” a damaged tooth. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. When the tooth has had a root canal treatment, has been broken and cracked or has a large dental filling and a large cavity.
Most of them are either made of metal (like gold), with ceramics (porcelain), or made of a combination of metal and porcelain so it can be matched to the color of your teeth.
Bridges are commonly used to replace one or more missing teeth. They span the space where the teeth are missing. Bridges are cemented to the natural teeth or implants surrounding the empty space.
Using your impression, a dental lab then makes your crown or bridge. A temporary crown or bridge will be put in place to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent crown or bridge is being made. When the permanent crown or bridge is ready, the temporary crown or bridge is removed, and the new crown or bridge is cemented over your prepared tooth or teeth.