A dental crown is the process of precisely removing some part of the tooth which has been injured by a crack, decay or some other factor and covering it with a tooth shaped cap.

Upper jaw, front incisor crown

The construction of a lower jaw second molar crown

A dental bridge is a process done by precisely removing some part of the tooth and placing special tooth shaped, support providing caps over the teeth when there are one or more missing teeth.

Dental bridge for the missing lower jaw molar

Prosthesis like crowns and bridges are prepared at the dental laboratory after precisely removing some part of the tooth and making an impression of it, thereafter they are permanently cemented and cannot be taken off by the patient. For this reason they are called "fixed prosthesis". Compared with the removable prosthesis, they are more convenient and easy-to-use for the patient.

In the past, fixed prostheses were made out of metal whereas nowadays due to esthetic concerns, porcelain superstructure is preferred. With the introduction of porcelains, it is benefited from the endurance of the metals as infrastructure and the esthetics of the porcelain as the superstructure.

Prior to porcelain applications the color of your natural teeth is determined and same color porcelain is utilized

Although this method is still in use, in response to the demanding esthetic needs, new fixed prosthesis applications which present sufficient durability without comprising metal and imitating the natural look with different materials have been added to the clinical solutions. Among these are zirconium and laminate porcelain applications.

- What happens if no prosthesis is made in place of missing teeth?

When by any reason a teeth loss happens, the neighboring and opposite teeth start to move towards this gap. As a result of this; gingival problems of the neighboring teeth, bone loss due to tiltings toward this gap, impairment in esthetics and changes in chewing forces are encountered.

In a long lasting gap at the lower jaw molar area, the neighboring teeth have tilted towards the gap along with the teeth of the opposite jaw elongating towards the gap

In case this gap isn’t restored for a long time by means of an implant or a bridge, the neighboring teeth will also be lost.

Other problems generating from a non-restored teeth loss can be, digestion irregularities and illnesses related with chewing deficiencies. According to the location of the missing tooth, speech deficiencies and esthetic problems may also arise.

The production of a fixed prosthesis is quite simple. It is generally completed within 3-4 visits and the procedures are finished within one week with the fixed prosthesis taking its place in the mouth.

- How is the maintenance of crowns and bridges?

The hygiene of the prosthesis is important with regards to its lifespan. Special care has to be taken for the gingival edges of the supporting teeth and they have to be brushed thoroughly. You should never forget that the longevity of your bridge is fully dependent on the teeth which carries it.

You should brush your teeth twice a day and use a dental floss once a day. You can also use dental floss ve interdental brush specially designed for the hygiene of crowns and bridges.

This cleansing procedure will eliminate the bacterial plaque. The most important aspect of this issue is the hygiene of the area where the teeth and the gingiva conjunct.

A routine visit to your dentist is always obligatory so that your fixed prosthesis can be completely controlled.

The fixed prostheses have different kinds such as metal-supported ceramic (porcelain), non-metal supported ceramic (zirconium) and laminate porcelain.

They all have different application areas, the suitable material and method may be chosen with the collaboration of the patient and the dentist.

The information contained in the site is to inform about dentistry and treatment methods.
This information is definitely not a substitute for the physician to examine the patient for medical purposes or to make a diagnosis.