Crowns, Bridges and Veneers

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped ‘cap’ that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size and strength. The crown, when cemented into place, fully encases the visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:

To protect a weak tooth from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
To restore a tooth where there is more filling than tooth.
To hold a dental bridge in place
To cover a dental implant

At Murray Dental, most of our crowns can be made entirely out of ceramic, usually with a zirconia base which is called the ‘white steel’ and is very biocompatible, layered with a more natural looking ceramic over the top. This allows the light to pass through the tooth to make it look more lifelike.

Dental bridges literally bridge the gap created by one or more missing teeth. The missing tooth, known as the ‘pontic’, is supported by crowns on one or more of the teeth adjacent to the gap. Bridges can also be supported by implants and are often used in the replacement of multiple missing teeth – please see our section on implants for more information.

The purpose of a bridge is to replace a missing tooth. By doing this, we are able to maintain the shape of the face and mouth, to restore the ability to chew and speak properly, to distribute the forces in the bite more evenly and to also prevent the remaining teeth from drifting out of position.

There are three main types of dental bridges. The first, traditional bridges, involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth and putting a replacement tooth in the middle. The second, cantilever bridges are where only one adjacent tooth is used to support the replacement tooth. Finally, resin-bonded bridges where instead of a crown, a metal or porcelain ‘wing’ on one side of the replacement tooth is bonded to your existing tooth. The different tooth replacement options are complex and varied. Your individual situation needs to be considered before the appropriate treatment plan can be made.

Dental veneers a very thin porcelain restoration that covers the facial part of the tooth and are commonly used to adjust the shape, contour and colour of front teeth. It has been shown that a veneer can actually strengthen a tooth when bonded to it. The process is very conservative in that only a fraction of the tooth is prepared to accommodate the veneer, and can make an incredible difference to a person’s smile.

Get In Touch With Us!

Want to chat to our team? Contact us via our online contact form, email, or phone and we will assist you with all of your dental inquiries! Alternatively, you can book an appointment online!