Crowns & Bridges

Crowns – discreet and natural.

A dental crown is a great way to restore your smile discreetly if you are suffering from damaged, broken or weakened teeth. Damaged teeth should always be treated as soon as possible as they can become sensitive and very painful, as well as being more vulnerable to tooth decay.

While crowns can be made from various materials, Dr Whitehead recommends porcelain crowns as they give a more natural appearance and blend in unnoticed with your surrounding teeth. Ceramic crowns are generally used at the front of the mouth where aesthetics are so important, while the teeth hidden at the back can often be restored with gold. Modern ceramic materials are now also available that perfectly mimic the appearance of natural teeth, but are strong enough to be placed anywhere in the mouth.

A crown may not be suitable if the damage is more advanced and in these cases, a tooth replacement may be necessary, especially if more than one tooth is affected. In this situation, a bridge or implant may be more appropriate, but Dr Whitehead will be able to give you his clinical opinion regarding all your treatment options.

Bridges – an alternative to dentures

If you have teeth missing but are not keen on the prospect of dentures, then a dental bridge could be the perfect treatment for you. A bridge is a permanent artificial tooth that is permanently cemented to neighbouring teeth and specially made to blend in with the surrounding natural dentition.