Restoring teeth
Crowns and Bridges
A crown covers the whole visible part of a tooth. It is used to protect teeth that are weakened, heavily filled or root-treated, or to rebuild their shape. A bridge replaces a missing tooth by attaching it to crowns on the teeth either side.
- Visits
- Usually two
- Material
- Zirconia, glass-ceramic or metal-ceramic
- Impression
- Digital scan or conventional impression
- Laboratory
- Usually 3 to 7 days, case dependent
What is it?
A crown is a cap made to measure and bonded to a tooth after a controlled amount of tooth has been reduced around its sides and biting surface. It is used when a large filling leaves little healthy tooth, to protect a weak or cracked tooth, to support a bridge, to cover a tooth with a marked problem of shape or colour, and to restore an implant.
We choose the material together, depending on the tooth’s position and what it needs. Zirconia is very strong, while glass-ceramics have a translucency closer to natural enamel and are often preferred at the front. A well cared-for crown usually lasts many years, on average around 5 to 15 years or longer, depending on home care, grinding habits and regular check-ups.
A bridge requires the teeth on both sides of the gap to be prepared for crowns. When those neighbouring teeth are healthy, a dental implant is discussed as an alternative. We compare veneers and crowns in this article.
When can it be considered?
- Teeth weakened after root canal treatment
- Teeth with large fractures or very large fillings
- Marked problems with shape or colour
- Restoring a dental implant
- Bridges: one or a few missing teeth with suitable supporting teeth
Examination and planning
The examination looks at the tooth, root and gum health, your bite and any grinding habit, with X-rays. Any root canal or gum treatment needed is completed before the crown.
Whether a crown, an onlay or something less invasive is right is discussed at this stage. If enough healthy tooth remains, an onlay can preserve more of it. For visible crowns, photographs and, when useful, a digital design help with colour and shape.
How the process works
Examination and plan
The tooth is assessed and the material chosen.
Preparation
Under local anaesthetic the tooth is shaped for the crown.
Impression
A digital scan or conventional impression is taken and the shade chosen.
Temporary crown
A temporary crown protects the tooth while the final one is made in the laboratory, usually within 3 to 7 days.
Try-in and fitting
Fit, contacts and colour are checked before the crown is cemented.
Review
Your bite and the gum margin are checked.
Digital tools that may be used
- Intraoral scan
- The prepared tooth, opposing teeth and bite are recorded digitally.
- Digital design
- Crown shape and contacts are designed on screen and shared with the laboratory as a file.
- Shade photography
- For front teeth, colour and surface texture are communicated with photographs.
Aftercare
Recommended
- Brush around crowns and bridges every day
- Clean under bridges with interdental brushes or special floss
- Keep regular check-ups
Best avoided
- Sticky or very hard foods while you have a temporary crown
- Going without a night guard if you grind
Whether a treatment suits you can only be decided after an examination. Timelines and stages vary from person to person.
Frequently asked questions
Zirconia or glass-ceramic?
Both have their place. Zirconia is often chosen where chewing forces are high because of its strength, while glass-ceramics can look more natural at the front thanks to their translucency. The choice depends on the tooth’s position, your bite and the shade.
How long does a crown last?
A well cared-for crown lasts on average around 5 to 15 years, often longer. It depends on home care, grinding habits and regular check-ups, and is not a personal guarantee.
Are healthy teeth cut down for a bridge?
Yes, the teeth either side of the gap are prepared for crowns. If they are healthy, an implant, which leaves them untouched, is also discussed.
Will the tooth be sensitive after a crown?
Mild sensitivity to hot and cold is common in the first days and usually settles. Pain on biting or sensitivity that lasts should be checked at the practice.
Related articles
Dental Implant Process and Timeline: From Consultation to Final Crown
Dental implant treatment is a staged process with healing time between steps. Here is what happens at each stage, what shapes the overall timeline and how visits are usually planned from abroad.
Intraoral Scanner vs Traditional Impressions: Accuracy and Comfort
An intraoral scanner records your teeth in 3D without impression putty. Here is how it compares with traditional impressions on comfort, time and accuracy, and where conventional methods are still preferred.
Inlays and Onlays Explained: Filling vs Inlay/Onlay vs Crown
Choosing between a filling, an inlay or onlay and a crown depends mainly on how much healthy tooth remains. Here are the differences, how ceramic restorations are made and what studies show.
Related treatments
All treatments- premolars, molarsInlays and OnlaysCeramic or composite pieces designed from a digital scan and bonded to teeth with damage too large for a filling but not yet needing a crown.
- incisors, canines, premolars, molarsDental ImplantsA titanium post placed in the jawbone to replace a missing tooth, with a crown on top, planned with X-rays and, when needed, 3D imaging.
- incisors, canines, premolarsPorcelain VeneersThin ceramic shells bonded to the visible surface of front teeth, considered for colour, shape and small gaps.
Questions about crowns and bridges?
You can send your questions on WhatsApp or reach the practice by phone.