(kroun / noun) a circular ornamental headdress worn by a monarch as a symbol of authority, usually made of or decorated with precious metals and jewels.

“Crown” has a regal sound to it. When talking about a dental crown, I like to call it a workhorse jewelry piece that you use every day, multiple times, for years. A well-made crown encircles the tooth from all sides and fits onto it like a glove.

It is often recommended for teeth that have had a root canal because these teeth are more brittle since the tooth no longer has its nutrient system. The crown helps to more evenly distribute the chewing forces and helps to hold the remaining tooth together. This lowers the chance of fracture.

Teeth that have fractured but are still restorable or teeth that have had a large amount of previous decay may also need a crown should there not be enough remaining dentin to support the enamel above it. Crowns are cemented onto the tooth and can be made to complement and blend in with the surrounding teeth.

A lot of hard work goes into making crowns that fit and function well, and look beautiful. Teeth with crowns are stable and feel like other teeth that aren’t crowned.

(brij / noun) a structure carrying a road, path, railroad, or canal across a river, ravine, road, railroad, or other obstacle.

In dentistry, there are times when a tooth or teeth are missing. Sometimes this happens because a tooth/teeth that never formed and sometimes this happens from an accident, extensive cavities, fractures, infections, or periodontal disease. A bridge has support on both sides of the space. Multiple spaces can sometimes be incorporated into a bridge.

How many teeth need to be involved? Designing and making a bridge that can support the forces placed on it depends on the span of the space, the health and morphology of the surrounding roots, the way the person’s jaw functions, and the preferences and goals of the person, financially, esthetically, and healthwise.

The entire bridge is made in one piece, sometimes multiple pieces soldered together, with the supporting teeth having crowns that are connected to the mock tooth/teeth that fill the space(s). The bridge is cemented onto the teeth and a person can quickly adjust to this treatment. These feel very stable, and can be designed to look beautiful.

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