Dental Crowns are a tooth-shaped cap which is fixed on a damaged tooth to restore its shape, size, and appearance and it is placed over a tooth. It also enhances the strength of the tooth. If the major part of the tooth is missing due to decay or fracture, then the crown is the best solution for it. By placing the crown, a tooth can function normally again. A dental bridge or a tooth bridge (also called pontic) is a custom-made dental appliance that replaces one or more natural missing teeth. A fixed bridge is usually an artificial tooth cemented to two or more existing natural teeth adjacent to the missing tooth/teeth. The natural teeth are prepared and crowned to attach the false tooth. Unlike removable partial denture, a fixed bridge cannot be taken out of the mouth by the patient. Crowns and bridges are used with implants also to replace missing teeth. These can be made of various materials like metal, metal fused to ceramic and full ceramic esthetic crowns.

Why should one go for dental crown
A dental Crown may be needed due to following reasons:

1. It helps in protecting a weak tooth (e.g., from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
2. Helps in restoring an already broken tooth or saving tooth further that has been severely worn down.
3. Tooth with large filling is covered and supported by crown when there isn’t a lot of tooth left.
4. Help to hold a dental bridge in place and covers dental implant
5. Tooth with root canal treatment is covered with crown for support and protection.
   
   Types of Dental Bridges

There are three main types of dental bridges:

1. Also know as traditional bridges involve creating a crown for the tooth or implant on either side of the missing tooth, with a pontic in between.
2. Traditional bridges are the most common type of bridge and are made of either porcelain fused to metal or ceramics (ceramic bridges).
3. Second type is know as cantilever bridges which are used when there are adjacent teeth on only one side of the missing tooth or teeth.
4. Resin-bonded bridge also known as Maryland bonded bridge are made of plastic teeth and gums supported by a metal framework.