Crowns & Bridges - Why are they mentioned together? If a tooth has been damaged or decayed to an extent where a filling will not suffice, a Crown (also called a Cap) is often needed to restore the tooth's shape, strength and structural function. A Crown or Cap, as its name suggests, is a covering that is placed over the effected tooth. The tooth is prepared by removing any decayed area and shaping the tooth to be capped. The Cap is then cemented in place to protect the tooth for years to come. Crowns are also used to reinforce a tooth that has been badly cracked or broken, as well as to seal a tooth after root canal therapy. A Bridge is a dental device that uses adjacent teeth as anchors to hold an artificial tooth in the place of a missing one. Bridges can be used to replace one or multiple missing permanent teeth in order to avoid more serious problems associated with missing teeth (such as shifting, bone loss and periodontal disease). Crowns and Bridges are mentioned together because the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth must be crowned in order to increase their strength and prepare them to be used as anchors for the Bridge device. The procedure of creating and fitting a Bridge involves multiple dental visits, but is often the most effective way to protect your smile from damage above and beyond a simple missing tooth. 1515 Rebecca Street Suite 220 (Hopedale Shopping Mall) Oakville, Ontario   Oakville Dentist - Oakdale Dental © 2012 Terms and Privacy Policy