Crowns & bridges
A crown caps and protects a weakened tooth. A bridge uses crowns on the neighbouring teeth to carry a false tooth across a gap.
Crowns & bridges in Hosur: what is involved
A crown is a custom-made cap that covers a tooth completely, restoring its shape, strength and appearance. We recommend one for a tooth that is cracked, worn, broken or heavily filled, for a tooth that has had root canal treatment, to improve a badly shaped or discoloured tooth, or to cover an implant.
A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth. Crowns on the teeth either side of the gap act as anchors, and an artificial tooth, called a pontic, fills the space between them. It restores chewing and speech and stops neighbouring teeth drifting into the gap.
Crowns & bridges: step by step
We examine the tooth or gap, explain whether a crown or bridge is the right choice, and go through the materials and the alternatives.
Under local anaesthetic, we remove some enamel so the crown has room to fit, take impressions, and place a temporary crown or bridge. Reshaping a tooth is permanent, which is why we plan it carefully.
Two to four weeks later the temporary is removed, the new crown or bridge is checked for fit, shade and bite, and then cemented in place.
Some sensitivity to hot and cold for a couple of weeks is normal. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily (with a floss threader under a bridge) and avoid hard or sticky food. With that care, crowns and bridges last five to fifteen years.
Good to know about Crowns & bridges
Metal is very durable and removes the least enamel, but it shows. Porcelain-fused-to-metal combines strength with a tooth-coloured surface. All-ceramic and zirconia crowns look the most natural and suit anyone with a metal allergy. All-resin crowns cost least but are fragile, typically lasting three to five years.
A bridge needs no surgery and is usually finished within weeks, but it relies on reshaping the teeth either side. An implant protects those teeth and generally lasts longer, though it costs more and needs healing time. We will talk through both.
Guides and advice
When saving a tooth with a root canal makes sense, when an implant is the better route, and how the two compare on time, cost and healing.
Do root canals hurt? Do they cause illness? Is pulling the tooth better? What the evidence says about the most common myths.
An examination, your material options and a clear explanation of each step. Treatment is only booked once you agree the plan.