Crowns, Bridges & Veneers
What Is A Crown?
A crown (sometimes known as a ‘cap’) completely covers an otherwise compromised tooth that may have been broken, affected by decay or have a very large filling.
The crown fits over the existing tooth structure to give it strength. It will resemble your natural tooth and match the rest of your teeth. Patients choose crowns both for functional as well as aesthetic reasons. They are often used to strengthen teeth which have become: brittle through root canal-treatment; irritable through large fillings; or ineffective at biting due to excessive grinding. Equally, crowns are used to restore teeth to their natural colour or shape by generally enhancing their appearance, improving shape and correcting alignment.
A crown could benefit you if you want to enhance your smile by improving the appearance of any discoloured fillings. It can help you if you have had root canal treatment and want to protect the restored tooth and experience biting as if using an original tooth. We have every variety of dental crowns to choose from suited to your requirements and budget:
Full Ceramic Cosmetic Crowns
These look completely natural and indistinguishable from own teeth. They are less robust than their metal equivalents and tend to be used as a solution for front teeth that are on show.
Porcelain Bonded to Metal Crowns
These describe a shell of metal that fits over the tooth which is then given a porcelain covering to provide a white tooth-like appearance. The porcelain can either cover the metal completely or just the outer visible part. The metal can be partially visible at times and they are more prone to chipping than the full metal and full ceramic equivalents. It is a choice we like to offer to keep every option available for different budgets.
Ceramic Zirconia Crowns
Ceramic zirconia crowns are strong, natural-looking restorations used to protect and rebuild damaged or weakened teeth. They are carefully shaped and colour-matched to blend with your existing smile.
At Cornflower Dental Clinic, we use modern materials and precise planning to create crowns that provide reliable strength, comfort and a natural appearance.
Onlays
Onlays are custom-made restorations used to repair teeth that are too damaged for a standard filling but do not require a full crown. They fit securely over the affected part of the tooth, helping to restore its strength, shape and function while preserving more of your natural tooth structure. Each onlay is carefully designed to provide a comfortable bite and blend naturally with the surrounding teeth.
Onlays are custom-made restorations used to repair teeth that are too damaged for a standard filling but do not require a full crown. They fit securely over the affected part of the tooth, helping to restore its strength, shape and function while preserving more of your natural tooth structure. Each onlay is carefully designed to provide a comfortable bite and blend naturally with the surrounding teeth.
- Fixed Bridge
- Porcelain Bonded
- Full Ceramic Cosmetic Crowns
Dental Bridges
Fixed Bridge
A bridge is usually used where there are fewer teeth to replace, or when the missing teeth are only on one side of the mouth. It is made by creating a crown for each tooth on both sides of the space and placing a false tooth between the crowns.
How Will It Look?
Bridges are usually made of a metal base. If the bridge is going to be visible from the outside a porcelain veneer can be bonded onto the base so that it matches the teeth it sits next to. Alternatively the bridge can be a fully ceramic construction to provide you with a perfectly matching natural looking replacement tooth.
Tooth Support
With bridges and crowns there are a variety of solutions to choose from and it is important to remember that bridges can only be used if you have enough strong teeth and good bone support surrounding the area of the bridge
Veneers
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are thin, custom-made shells fitted to the front surface of the teeth. They are carefully matched to the colour and shape of your natural teeth, providing a durable and natural-looking improvement for chipped, stained, worn or uneven teeth.
Composite Veneers
Composite veneers are created by applying tooth-coloured resin directly to the surface of the tooth. They usually require less preparation than porcelain veneers and can often be completed in a single appointment. They are a more affordable option, although they may stain or wear more quickly over time.
Minimal-Preparation Veneers
Minimal-preparation veneers are designed to improve the appearance of the teeth while removing very little natural tooth structure. They may be suitable for correcting minor gaps, uneven shapes or mild discolouration, depending on the condition and position of your teeth.
Choosing the Right Veneers
The most suitable type of veneer will depend on your teeth, oral health, desired result and budget. Your dentist will assess your smile, explain the available options and help you choose a treatment that provides a balanced and natural-looking result.