Crowns & Bridges in Scarborough

A crown is a custom-made cap that fits over a whole tooth, sitting right at the gumline and taking over the shape and chewing surface the natural tooth used to handle on its own. Think of it as a snug helmet for a tooth that can no longer protect itself.

There are a handful of situations where a crown tends to come up in conversation. We often suggest one when:

• A tooth has had root canal therapy and is left more brittle than before, so it needs the extra coverage to handle daily biting.
• A filling has grown so large that there isn't enough solid tooth left to hold it reliably.
• A tooth has cracked, chipped badly, or worn down from years of grinding.
• An older restoration is failing and the tooth underneath needs to be rebuilt and protected.

Because a crown wraps the tooth completely rather than just patching one spot, it can hold things together when a regular filling would keep coming loose. It's a way of keeping your own tooth in your mouth rather than losing it.

When you have a gap from one or more missing teeth, a bridge does what its name suggests — it spans the space. The replacement tooth in the middle is called a pontic, and it's anchored by crowns placed on the healthy teeth on either side of the gap. Those neighbouring teeth become the supports that carry the bridge.

Closing a gap isn't only about appearance. When a space sits empty, the surrounding teeth can gradually drift or tilt toward it, and the bite can shift over time. Filling the space helps keep everything where it belongs and makes chewing on that side comfortable again.

A bridge is one option for missing teeth, but it isn't the only one. Dental implants replace a tooth without leaning on the neighbours, which can be worth considering if the teeth beside the gap are healthy and untouched. During your visit we'll talk through what fits your situation, and you can always explore the rest of our cosmetic dentistry options too.

Crowns and bridges can be made from a few different materials, and the right one depends on where the tooth sits and how much pressure it takes.

• Porcelain and all-ceramic restorations are a common pick for teeth that show when you smile, since they catch light in a way that's close to natural enamel.
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal combines a metal core for strength with a porcelain outer layer, which can suit back teeth that do a lot of heavy chewing.

Whichever material we use, shade matching matters. Before anything is made, we compare your other teeth against a shade guide to pick a colour that blends in rather than standing out. The goal is a natural-looking result that sits quietly alongside the teeth around it, so most people won't be able to tell which one was restored.

Most crowns and bridges come together over two appointments. Here's roughly how it unfolds:

1. First visit — prep and impression. We gently shape the tooth (or the supporting teeth, for a bridge) to make room for the restoration, then take an impression or a digital scan so your crown or bridge can be built to fit.
2. In between — a temporary. You'll leave with a temporary restoration that protects the prepared tooth and lets you eat and smile while the permanent one is being made.
3. Second visit — fitting the final restoration. We remove the temporary, check that the new crown or bridge fits and that your bite feels even, then bond it into place and make any small adjustments.

Keeping it in good shape

Once it's in, a crown or bridge is cared for much like your natural teeth — brush twice a day and floss daily. With a bridge, the one extra habit is cleaning underneath the pontic, where ordinary flossing can't reach. A floss threader or a special bridge floss lets you slide floss beneath it to clear away plaque, and we'll show you how at your visit. No restoration lasts forever, but good daily habits and regular check-ups go a long way toward keeping it long-lasting.