Crowns and Bridgework

Crowns:

Dental crowns, or caps, encase the entire visible part of a tooth (above the gum line).  Crowns can be made out of ceramics like porcelain, gold or metal alloys, or a combination of both materials.
Dental caps are used to improve the cosmetic appearance of a tooth, to strengthen a tooth, or to restore a tooth to its natural shape.

Teeth with excessive wear or cracks can benefit from being covered by a dental crown.  Crowns offer an advantage over fillings in that they can be crafted to fit precisely on your tooth like a “cast”, which will evenly distribute your biting forces, in turn minimizing future possibilities of that tooth recracking and/or abscessing.  Sometimes a more conservative procedure, such as porcelain veneers or ¾ crowns, can satisfy the tooth’s functional and cosmetic needs.  However, when used simultaneously to strengthen or restore a tooth, they are very effective.

Bridgework:

Bridges are natural-looking replacements for lost permanent teeth which can restore normal chewing abilities and preserve jaw alignment.  They are fabricated of natural-looking porcelain or gold, modeled to appear as one of your teeth, and anchored permanently to the neighboring teeth.
Fix bridges are constructed to be permanently cemented.  They may replace front or back teeth and do not come out at night.