A dental crown is a restoration, generally made from porcelain, which covers the entire surface of the prepared tooth on which it is cemented.  A crown may be place for a variety of reasons; to rebuild broken or decayed teeth, thereby restoring them to their original shape, to strengthen teeth and to improve cosmetic appearance. 

■  The Procedure :
The dentist will take an impression of the tooth.  This will be used to fabricate a temporary tooth. (The temporary crown is worn for about two weeks while the permanent crown is being made.) The tooth is then prepared using a fast hand piece and a dental burr, which removes about 1 – 2 mm of the circumference of the surface of the tooth.
 

A final impression is taken which is sent to the lab technician.  The dentist will also take a shade so that the completed crown is as aesthetically similar to the original tooth as possible.  The temporary crown is placed.  The procedure should take about an hour, depending on the number of teeth to be crowned.  Two weeks later an appointment is made to cement the permanent crown; this appointment should only take 15 min.
 

A dental bridge consists of one or more false teeth or “pontics”, which are fused between two porcelain crowns.  This is generally used to fill in the area left by one or more missing teeth.  If these spaces are not filled, they may cause drifting of the surrounding teeth as well as over eruption of the opposing teeth.  Teeth and gums then become more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disease.  Good oral hygiene is very important for possible dental bridge candidates especially in the area below the pontic.  Bad oral hygiene may result in the failure of the bridge.
 

■  The Procedure :
Similar to that performed when preparing for a dental crown (see Dental Crowns).  Each of the teeth which are going to serve as the ‘anchoring’ teeth (on either side of the pontic) will be prepared.  A temporary bridge will be placed while the permanent bridge is being fabricated.  Once the permanent bridge is placed, it will be checked for any bite discrepancies.
 

When one or more teeth are missing and the patient has decided not to go for a dental bridge an implant may be another option.  This is more expensive although more permanent than a bridge. Together with this, an implant does not necessitate the need to grind away natural tooth structure of the adjacent teeth.
 

The implant will be surgically placed by an implantologist or surgeon.  The implant will be allowed to heal for a few months.  During this time, bone grows directly onto the titanium implant.  This process is called Osseointergration.

Following healing, a gold, ceramic or titanium post is attached to the implant body.  A tooth or crown is made in the dental laboratory to match your other teeth and this is placed by your dentist over the post.
See : www.toothimplant.co.za