Bridges and Crowns in Seton, SE Calgary

A Dental crown is a custom-engineered tooth that fits over your existing tooth structure, protecting against natural erosion and decay while also restoring the look and strength of your tooth. Crowns used in cosmetic dentistry are suited to match your natural tooth colour and shape, create facial balance, and even support your bone structure for a beautiful end result.

At Sierra, we choose ceramic products with no metal substructure to fabricate your crowns. This ensures that there will be no grey lines of metal showing when you smile.

The ceramic products are also biocompatible and can help to create better tissue health and no risk of a metal (nickel) allergy. Our patients find these crowns to be strong, durable and remarkably natural-looking.

What are dental crowns and how do they work?

A dental crown is a shell of material that is cemented onto a damaged tooth or implant, capping it entirely to provide protection, support, and aesthetics.

You may require a crown to be fitted if you need to:

• Replace a large filling when most of the tooth has decayed away
• Restore a broken or fractured tooth
• Protect a weak tooth from damage
• Attach a bridge
• Cover a dental implant
• Cover a discoloured or poorly shaped tooth
• Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

Crowns can be made from porcelain or zirconia that closely matches the colour of your natural teeth. Alternatively, they can be made from gold and metal alloy. This is sometimes preferred for the back teeth because of its extra strength and durability.

Note that a crown can only be fitted and removed by a qualified dentist.

What are dental bridges and how do they work?

Bridges are often confused with crowns. They may be required if you are missing a tooth.

The mouth does not like the imbalances caused by missing teeth and gaps. Over time, gum disease may result and the remaining teeth may shift into the empty spaces, leading to a “bad bite”.

Bridges can help alleviate these risks by replacing missing teeth. They usually consist of one or more artificial teeth and two crowns as a single-piece device.

The bridge is cemented to the adjacent teeth (abutments) or to the implants that surround the space, depending on the health of the adjacent teeth. The abutments anchor the bridge, which spans the space where the teeth are missing.

Most commonly, zirconia is used in bridges as it can be matched to the natural colour of your teeth.

People who have bridges fitted often benefit from a better appearance when they smile, a better eating experience, an improved bite, an improved ability to speak clearly, and less of a droop in the face or cheeks.

How are crowns made?

To have a crown made and fitted will require at least two visits to the dentist.

The tooth must first be reduced in size so that the crown can be placed over it properly. Your dentist will then need to take an impression or digital impression to show exactly the spaces involved and the surrounding teeth.

Your dentist will also have to check the shade of your teeth so that the porcelain used for the crown (assuming that it is porcelain) can be colour-matched accurately.

A model for the crown can be made in the lab. During this time, you will wear a temporary crown. This will be removed and the permanent one cemented in place, usually on the second visit one to two weeks later.

Crown Inlays and Onlays

Dental inlays and onlays are lab-made restorations used to repair cracked or fractured teeth or teeth with mild to moderate decay. You can think of them as a middle ground between a filling and a crown.

Ideal candidates for inlay or onlay work typically have more decay or damage in the tooth structure to be effectively treated using a filling material but have enough healthy tooth structure remaining to not yet need a crown.

Inlays and onlays help to significantly strengthen teeth. They are more durable and last longer than fillings.

Even though they are more expensive than filling, patients often choose them because they prolong tooth life and often prevent the need for more dental treatment in the future.

Fixed Dental Bridge Procedure in Calgary

If you lose a tooth or have one that is severely damaged and not stable enough to hold a crown on its own you may be a candidate for a dental bridge.

Filling the gap from a missing tooth is important for your health, comfort, and confidence.

One common solution is a traditional fixed bridge. For this procedure, the adjacent teeth are crowned and used to support a false tooth called a pontic. The pontic brings stability back to your smile and discourages the adjacent teeth from moving into the gap.

By keeping your bite stable, the bridge will help you eat and speak more comfortably and confidently.

For those who are interested in a more permanent tooth replacement, Sierra Dental is also proud to offer you dental implants.