Crowns and bridges
Dental crowns and bridges offer a solution to restoring very broken down or missing teeth. Cost depends upon the quality of the experience of the dentist preparing and fitting the work, the quality of the dental laboratory used and the quality of materials used to manufacture the unit.
Crowns are “caps” made to fit over an existing tooth. They are often recommended following a root canal filling to protect the remaining tooth whose strength is often compromised by the extensive decay and infection that may have been present. Most crowns are made of porcelain, like veneers, and look every bit as natural, leaving no black line at the gum level as seen with some more traditional crowns.
Bridges are false teeth that are fixed to remaining natural teeth by crowns in order to fill a gap. A bridge may take the place of one or more missing teeth and the results can be excellent with good function and aesthetic results. With careful maintenance a well-made bridge can last many years. The bone in the jaw surrounding the missing tooth or teeth can however continue to recede.