CROWNS AND BRIDGE-ROUTINELY CALLED FIXED TEETH

Why is a dental crown needed?
A dental crown is used to do any of the following:
1.    To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
2.    After doing Root Canal Treatment (RCT), a crown is must to increase the longetivity
3.    To protect a weak tooth from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
4.    To hold a dental bridge in place
5.    To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left
6.    To cover a dental implant
7.    To cover misshaped or severely discolored teeth

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth covering the tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and to improve its appearance. When the crowns are cemented into place it fully encases the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

Permanent crowns can be made from

1.    Stainless steel, all metal (such as gold or another alloy)
Metallic look, strong but is not cosmetic. Can be used in back teeth

2.    Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) (tooth coloured with metal inside)
provide a strong, durable, and cosmetic treatment option as it can be matched to the natural colour of the teeth.
Economical cosmetic option.

3.    All resin, or all ceramic (tooth colored made up of white metal) This product lacks any metal base so is purely cosmetic. The disadvantage of PFM can be overcome by all ceramic crowns. The predominant material choice for all-ceramic crowns today is either zirconia, or aluminous materials. The elimination of the metal core allows for light transmission through the porcelain for better optical, life-like properties and a higher level of esthetics.

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. A bridge is made up of two or more crowns for the teeth on either side of the gap -- these two or more anchoring teeth are called abutment teeth -- and a false tooth /teeth in between.