Zirconia Crowns and Bridges

What are crowns and bridges?

A crown can strengthen a tooth and improve its appearance. It is needed when a filling will not solve the problem. If a tooth is cracked, a crown holds it together and seals the cracks so that the damage does not get worse.

In its basic form, a dental bridge involves a crown on each tooth on either side of the gap, with a replacement tooth suspended between them. The anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth; the suspended tooth is called a pontic. A bridge can also be supported by implants, or by a combination of natural teeth and implants.

Who are they for?

• Restoring partially fractured teeth
• Covering badly shaped or discoloured teeth
• Filling the space of missing teeth
• Preventing the remaining teeth from drifting out of position
• Restoring chewing and speaking ability

Materials

Full porcelain bridges are made entirely of porcelain; the core is often zirconium, especially for long bridges, bridges with longer hanging sections and bridges in the molar region, where bite forces are higher. The zirconium is covered with conventional porcelain. Porcelain-fused-to-metal bridges have metal on the inside and porcelain on the outside; they are often recommended when chewing forces on the back teeth are uncertain.

How does the process work?

Crown

1. Preparation of the tooth
2. Taking the impression
3. Placing a temporary crown
4. Making the crown
5. Placing the final crown

Bridge

1. First session: the abutment teeth are prepared under local anaesthesia, impressions of the upper and lower teeth are taken and the natural tooth colour is recorded. You leave with a temporary bridge.
2. Second session: the temporary bridge is removed and the lab-made framework is tried in; fit, contours, height and anatomy are checked. In an emergency this session can be skipped.
3. Third session: the finished bridge is tried in and checked for function and appearance, then cemented to the abutment teeth.