Crowns and bridges in Moorooka

Crowns

A crown is a cap that covers the whole visible part of a tooth. It’s usually the answer when a tooth is too damaged for a filling to hold:

• a large filling that has weakened the tooth
• a cracked or broken tooth
• a back tooth that has had root canal treatment
• a tooth that’s badly shaped or discoloured

Crowns can be made in tooth-coloured ceramic, which is matched to the colour of your teeth, or in monolithic zirconia, which is very strong and looks similar to natural teeth. We’ll talk through the options.

Bridges

A bridge fills the gap left by one or more missing teeth. It’s made of crowns joined together: the crowns fit over the teeth on either side of the gap, and hold a replacement tooth in between. It’s fixed in place, so you don’t take it out like a denture.

Since a bridge relies on the neighbouring teeth for support, those teeth must be healthy. Cleaning underneath the bridge also takes extra care, which we’ll demonstrate for you.

What happens

1. We check the tooth or gap, take x-rays if needed, and explain your options and what each costs. We choose the colour with you at this first visit.
2. At the first appointment we prepare the tooth (or teeth), take a digital scan, and fit a temporary crown or bridge.
3. A dental laboratory makes your crown or bridge to fit.
4. At the second appointment we check the fit and cement the crown or bridge in place.

Looking after a crown or bridge

Brush and floss as you would your own teeth — the tooth underneath a crown can still decay at the edge where the crown meets it. To clean beneath the replacement tooth, you’ll need super floss or small interdental brushes. We’ll demonstrate the correct technique for you. If you grind your teeth, a night guard helps protect them.

If a crown or bridge comes loose, keep it and call us. It can often be cleaned and fixed back in place. Until then, avoid chewing on that side. See emergency appointments.

What it costs, and what your fund pays

Crowns and bridges are usually the most involved treatment we do, because each one is made to measure by a dental laboratory. The cost depends on the material and, for a bridge, how many teeth it spans. You’ll know the cost before anything starts.

They usually fall under “major dental” in health fund extras, so what you get back depends on your policy and how long you’ve held it. Medicare doesn’t cover them for adults.

Other ways to replace a missing tooth

A bridge is one of three main options, alongside a denture and a dental implant. Each has advantages and drawbacks, and we’ll go through them with you before you decide.