Prosthodontics

Prosthodontics Therapy

A dental crown, also known as a full coverage restoration, is a dental prosthesis that encircles the entire circumference of the tooth in order to strengthen it. Following root canal treatment or if the tooth lacks tooth structure due to a large cavity, a dental crown is indicated. The tooth is reduced to a stump in order to receive the crown. Dental Crowns comes in a wide range of materials, patients could choose crowns that looks the most natural to their existing teeth or could mask out discolored teeth and change the color of all their teeth.

A common and affordable crown and bridge option is porcelain fused to metal (PFM). They have some of the strength associated with a metal prosthetic, as well as the natural look of porcelain crowns. They have a small metal rim which is difficult to notice, particularly on back teeth.

For front teeth, some patients opt for paying an additional fee for another tooth-colored option with could be all ceramic porcelain, E-max or zirconia.

Treatment Preparation

Recommended for

• Teeth suffering from large cavities.
• Teeth following root canal therapy.
• Worn down teeth due to grinding.
• Bite issues (Occlusal/Bite disharmony).

Before

Not all teeth will require a root canal treatment before crown installation.

How

The dentist will reduce the size of the tooth, so that the crown may be fitted on top. Then a mould of the mouth will be taken so that the crown is customized in the laboratory. This will take a few days, and at your next appointment the crown will be cemented into place. Depending on the clinic, dental crowns may be fabricated in the same day using CAD/CAM technology.

Patients are free to choose which crown material they want. The standard and most common is the crown made from porcelain fused to metal, also known as PFM, which tends to be the gold standard. These are mostly tooth-colored, but offer the added strength of a metal base. As the metal can sometimes be visible, some people prefer all-ceramic or zirconia crowns, especially for front teeth. Some clinics offer gold crowns which are offer many advantages, being sturdy, long-lasting and require minimum preparation of the tooth. The gold crowns are more noticeable and definitely costlier, as the crown is priced by the weight of the material it is made from.

Treatment Details

Anesthesia

Local anesthetic (usually).

Procedure duration

One hour to prepare the tooth, decrease the size of the tooth, prepare the mould and fit a temporary crown. At your next appointment, the crown will be fitted. As the tooth needs to be cleaned and dried and the cement needs to be applied and left to dry, the process can take around one hour as well. Depending on the clinic, dental crowns may be fabricated in the same day using CAD/CAM technology.

What to expect

Post procedure care

Patients should avoid eating on the crown straight away. Certain things, such as hard or chewy sweets, should be avoided long-term, as the crown could come loose.

Possible discomfort

Most patients do not experience discomfort following crown fabrication, however, if the tooth was not root canal treated, the patient may experience some additional sensitivity for a period of time after the treatment.

 

Important To Know

Not recommended for:

• Inadequate root length.
• Poor bony support.

 

Crown and Bridge preparation

About

A dental bridge, also known as a Fixed Dental Prosthesis, is a prosthesis that is used to replace a single or multiple missing teeth. A dental bridge is similar to a crown, however, it consists of at least 2 or 3 teeth. The bridge is cemented over the top of the teeth at either side of a gap, so that the pontic (the prosthetic tooth in the middle which is replacing the missing tooth) is held in place.

Treatment Preparation

Recommended for

• Replacing missing teeth

Before

In order to prepare for a dental bridge, the teeth on either side of the gap are reduced in size in order to receive a dental bridge on top, like a cap.

How

At the first appointment, teeth will be prepared, and an impression is taken so that the final bridge can be fabricated in the laboratory. The dentist would create a temporary bridge to use while the final bridge is being made. Once the final bridge has been fabricated, it is fitted and cemented into the teeth. Depending on the clinic, dental bridges may be made on the same day using CAD/CAM technology.

Treatment Details

Materials

Bridges are available in a range of materials, most commonly used is porcelain fused to metal (PFM) bridges. These are mostly tooth-colored, but offer the added strength of a metal base. As the metal can sometimes be visible, some people prefer an all ceramic option of zirconia or E-max, especially in esthetically demanding areas like the front teeth.

Anesthesia

Local anesthetic (usually).

Procedure duration

The Dental Bridge takes 2 to 3 hours.

Usually 2 appointments are required. At the first appointment, the dentist will prepare the teeth and take a mould. The bridge would be custom-made in a laboratory (patients should ask how long this will take). At the next appointment, the bridge will be cemented into place.

What to expect

Post-operative care

Patients should avoid eating on the bridge straight away. Certain foods, such as hard or chewy sweets, should be avoided as the bridge could become loose.

Possible discomfort

Patients may suffer with tooth sensitivity when exposed to very hot or cold food or drinks following the procedure. Patients may also experience a dull ache after the bridge has been fitted. Both symptoms should subside after a few weeks.

Important To Know

Not recommended for:

Tooth that has just been removed, as the gums need time to heal before bridge fabrication.