Crowns & Bridges
Strengthening and restoring your smile.
If you have a tooth that is weakened, damaged, or missing, crowns and bridges offer a durable, long-term solution to restore both function and aesthetics.
Crowns essentially reinforce a tooth that is weakened. Think of a crown as a helmet for a tooth – once cemented in place, it strengthens and protects the remaining tooth structure from breaking. Crowns also restore the tooth’s full function and appearance.
Crowns and bridges are fixed prosthetic devices that help repair or replace teeth, restoring your smile’s appearance and function. A dental crown (often called a “cap”) is like a protective cover that encases a damaged tooth to strengthen it and improve its shape or color.
A dental bridge fills the gap left by one or more missing teeth by anchoring a false tooth to the natural teeth or implants on either side. At Nuvodent, we provide high-quality crowns and bridges that are custom-crafted to look natural and fit comfortably, so you can bite, speak, and smile with confidence.
What to expect
1. First Visit – Tooth Preparation:
For a crown, we will numb the tooth and surrounding area. The dentist will then carefully shape the tooth by removing a portion of the outer surface (enamel) to make room for the crown. How much is removed depends on the type of crown (for example, all-ceramic crowns require slightly more reduction than metal-based ones, to accommodate material thickness). If the tooth has decay or old filling material, that will be cleaned out, and sometimes a build-up material is added to ensure there’s enough structure for the crown to hold onto. After shaping, we take an impression (mold) or a digital scan of the prepared tooth and the teeth around it. This record is sent to a dental laboratory where the crown will be custom-made.
In the meantime, we place a temporary crown over your prepared tooth to protect it. The temporary is usually made of acrylic or resin and is cemented with a weak cement (so we can remove it later). We’ll advise you on being a bit careful with the temporary (avoid very sticky or hard foods on that side, as temporaries can dislodge more easily).
For a bridge, a similar process happens: the teeth on either side of the gap (the abutment teeth) are prepared just like they would be for crowns. Impressions are taken of the entire area including the gap. The lab then will craft a bridge, which is essentially multiple crowns connected together as one piece (two crowns for the abutments with a false tooth in between). A temporary bridge or set of temporaries will be placed so you’re not without teeth while the final is being made.
2. Second Visit – Placement of Crown/Bridge:
Once the permanent crown or bridge is ready (usually in about 1-2 weeks), you’ll return for fitting and cementation.
We remove the temporary and clean off any temporary cement. We test the fit of the new crown/bridge on your tooth/teeth. We check that the contacts with neighboring teeth are right and that your bite is correct (it should feel comfortable when you bite down, not too high). We also assess the color and shape – quality crowns and bridges today are made to blend in with your natural teeth, so at this stage we ensure you’re happy with the appearance. If all looks and feels good, we proceed to cement the crown or bridge permanently with a strong dental cement. Once set, we’ll floss around the tooth and remove any excess cement, then give it a final polish if needed.
For a bridge, we’ll show you how to use a floss threader or special interdental brush to clean underneath the false tooth, since you can’t floss between it as with normal teeth.
After placement, the tooth might feel slightly sensitive or awkward for a short time as you get used to it (and as the gum tissue settles if it was disturbed). But soon it should feel like a natural part of your mouth. If you have any discomfort when biting or any issue, we can easily adjust the crown or bridge.
Modern crown and bridge work is quite advanced – with precise impressions or digital scans and skilled lab technicians (or in some cases CAD/CAM milling), the result is a restoration that can mimic a natural tooth’s anatomy and shade very closely.
Common treatments
Large Cavities or Fractured Teeth
When a tooth has a very large filling or a large portion of it is decayed, there may not be enough natural structure left for a regular filling to hold up. A crown can rebuild the tooth’s structure and prevent it from cracking further. Similarly, a tooth that is cracked or broken may need a crown to hold it together.
After Root Canal Treatment
Teeth that have had root canal therapy often become more fragile and prone to fracture because the internal tissue is removed. Crowning a root-canal treated tooth (especially a molar) is standard practice to provide strength and seal the tooth, protecting it long-term.
Worn or Misshapen Teeth
Teeth that are severely worn down (from grinding, for example) or teeth that are misshapen can be restored to a normal contour with crowns.
Cosmetic Improvement
Sometimes crowns are used on front teeth to improve appearance – for example, to cover teeth that are extremely discolored and resistant to whitening, or to correct minor alignment/shape issues. (However, for purely cosmetic cases, veneers might be another option; we’ll advise on the best approach.)
Cracked Tooth Syndrome
If you have a tooth with hairline cracks causing pain on biting (cracked tooth syndrome), a crown can often hold the tooth together and relieve the discomfort by distributing bite forces more evenly.
Why choose Nüvodent?
Overall, crowns and bridges can significantly enhance quality of life – alleviating discomfort, improving chewing efficiency, and giving you a smile you’re proud of. They are a well-established part of restorative dentistry and have helped millions of people preserve and restore their teeth.
Restored Function
A crown restores a broken or weak tooth to full chewing capability. You can eat normally without fear of the tooth cracking or pain. A bridge returns your ability to bite and chew properly in an area where teeth were missing.
Protection
Crowns protect compromised teeth (like those with root canals or large fillings) from fracturing. They essentially reinforce the tooth like armor. This can extend the life of a tooth for many years, avoiding extractions.
Maintaining Alignment
By replacing missing teeth, bridges keep the remaining teeth in proper position. This helps maintain a correct bite and prevent future dental problems that arise when teeth drift or over-erupt.
Aesthetics
Porcelain or ceramic crowns and bridges are crafted to match your natural teeth in color and shape, improving your smile’s appearance. A crown can dramatically improve the look of a discolored or misshapen tooth. A bridge fills an unsightly gap seamlessly.
Stability
Unlike removable partial dentures, bridges are fixed in place. They won’t shift or come out when speaking or eating, which often gives people more confidence and comfort.
Durability
Crowns and bridges, especially those made from high-strength materials like zirconia or metal alloys with porcelain, can last a long time – often 10-15 years or more with good care, sometimes decades. They are a strong, durable solution.
Your Smile. Your Story.
We always are welcoming new patients.
Our multidisciplinary team is ready for every aspect of your oral health.