Why is it necessary to crown teeth?
It become necessary when there is insufficient tooth structure to support a filling, or to make a more beautiful smile.

Teeth that are severely broken down from decay or fracture can be fully restored to proper appearance and function with a crown restoration.

Crowns cover the tooth completely, fitting just at the gumline and protecting the remaining tooth. While fillings hold on to the inside surfaces of teeth, crowns hold on to the outside of the tooth, and act like a very hard shell that covers the entire tooth and any fillings that were present.

Most crowns have a tooth-colored porcelain exterior fused to a metal base. The shade is customized to match your other teeth so that in your mouth a crown will look just like a natural tooth. Recent changes in porcelain technology give dentists many new choices for all-porcelain natural-looking restorations.

If you are missing one or more natural teeth, then you know how much this diminishes your chewing ability. What you may not realize is that missing teeth also affect your facial structure, increasing stress on remaining teeth and often giving your cheeks a sunken appearance.

Bridgework works like a series of connected crowns, replacing missing teeth by bridging the gap and using the surrounding teeth as abutments.

Replacing missing teeth with bridgework can actually give you a more youthful appearance. see bridges.

Once permanently cemented in your mouth, crowns and bridges will look, feel and function same as your natural teeth, giving you years of comfort, stability and esthetics.