Choosing Crowns and Bridges
Choosing between a crown or a bridge is an important decision – it is something worth taking your time over to understand the differences and benefits that each can provide you with. Crowns cover an existing tooth, while a bridge fills a space caused by a lost tooth or multiple teeth.
A crown is an excellent long-term treatment to strengthen weakened teeth, which can occur if a tooth or filling becomes weakened or cracked. Crowns are also an effective way of improving the appearance of a tooth.
At Dental Healthcare Practice, we’re proud of our very high success rate with crown insertions, enabling you to keep the tooth for a long time. Our success rate is a result of the great care we take in obtaining a perfect impression to make the crown, so we can be confident it will be a good fit.
The latest in computer scanning technology allows us to match your crown shade to your exact requirements, so your crown can blend in perfectly and won’t be noticeable when you smile! We ensure that you are given the crown that is right for your individual needs and will blend seamlessly with your natural teeth.
The procedure is as follows:
- Shape the tooth to receive the crown
- Take an impression of the tooth and then place a temporary crown
- Return two weeks later to bond the crown in place.
This usually requires two appointments, but occasionally more, depending on your needs – we will discuss the process in more detail with you at your first consultation.
Dr Mark Setters, Crown Specialist
Dr Mark Setters BDS has over 20 years of experience and has carried out more than 5,000 successful crown procedures in that time.
There is no crown situation that we haven‘t seen! We’re well equipped to handle any issue.
Choosing the right type of crown for you
There are dozens of different types of crowns, so knowing which type of crown you should choose can feel a little overwhelming, which is why most people look to their dental professional for expertise and guidance. We’ll be on hand throughout the whole process to help you – at Dental Healthcare Practice, we want you to have the perfect crown to blend in with your natural smile. We have over 20 years’ experience in making and fitting crowns for all types of situations and we will talk you through the process in detail so you’re fully aware of how fitting a crown works.
What type of crown we recommend for you will depend on a number of factors and your own preferences – you may want to focus on crown strength, or perhaps natural appearance is your priority. Prices obviously vary depending on the type of crown you choose, so affordability might be something else you’ll need to consider. We offer a range of options to suit all factors and budgets.
Four Types of Crowns
The four main types of crowns are: porcelain-based ceramic, porcelain fused to metal, gold alloys and base metal alloys. For durability, we recommend crowns with gold and metal alloys, but ceramic crowns are usually the most popular for front teeth and because they blend more naturally with your tooth colour. The hybrid alternative of porcelain fused to metal offers good strength characteristics, as well as an important aesthetic covering on the front of the tooth.
As you can see, there are several choices and the position of the tooth requiring a crown may determine the style you choose. Most importantly, we want to stress that if you need a crown, you don’t need to worry – we’ll be able to provide you with a natural, long-lasting solution. We’ll explain all of the choices to you in an easy-to-understand way and give you the valuable advice you need to make the right choice according to your circumstances and your needs.
Quality of the technician making the crown
We only use the highest quality technicians in the UK. This means that the materials used in the crowns are fully traceable, with no risk of impurities which can cause health problems over time.
We are not “tied” to a laboratory, which means we pick and choose the best technicians for the different crown types.
“My new crown looks and feels like a real tooth – it’s amazing!” – Patient Testimonial
If you would like a crown or bridge treatment plan, please contact us for a consultation.