Dental Crowns Swansea

Crowns are called “crowns” because they fit over the top of your remaining/damaged tooth. Sometimes they are also known as “dental caps”. Think of it like a traditional “crown” or hat — you’re wearing it over the top of your natural tooth.

Likewise, bridges are called “bridges” because they bridge the gap between your natural teeth where a tooth or teeth are missing.

There are many different reasons why your dentist may recommend crowns or bridges. For example:

• To strengthen a weak, cracked or missing tooth
• To replace a tooth after root canal therapy
• To attach an implant
• For cosmetic purposes
• To replace a filling that is too large for the remaining tooth.

It depends on what material you choose for your crowns. The thickness tends to range from 0.5 to two millimetres on the sides and 1.5 millimetres on the chewing surface to make eating more comfortable.

When comparing materials, keep in mind that metal crowns are thinner than porcelain. Your dentist can provide recommendations and advice around materials.

Unfortunately no. Porcelain, ceramics and metal alloys do not respond to whitening treatments. If you whiten your natural teeth with a crown or bridge, the capped tooth/gap will remain the same colour.

If you’re looking for a total smile makeover, consider having your teeth whitened before the crown or bridge is placed. This will ensure you have a consistent white smile.

We offer in-chair teeth whitening services as well as take-home kits. However, if your crowns or bridges are urgent, we recommend having the in-chair treatment to streamline the process.

We understand that the concept of crowns or bridges might seem uncomfortable. If you do not want bridges or crowns, we might recommend dental bonding to repair chipped or cracked teeth, or porcelain veneers to help you achieve a bright, healthy smile.

Have a chat with your dentist about alternative treatment options for bridges and crowns. We can help find the perfect solution to restore the structural integrity and aesthetic of your teeth.

Yes to a degree. You can correct misaligned teeth if you have dental crowns but traditional braces might not do the trick if your crowns or bridges are made from metal alloy or porcelain.

Rather than braces, we might recommend Invisalign to help move your teeth into the correct position. Similarly to the crown and bridge process, we will take an impression of your teeth and send it off to the lab to have your clear aligners made.

As your teeth gradually move into place, we will create new aligners to continue the treatment process.

It is important to note that if you need a crown or bridge replaced, you will have to wait until the Invisalign treatment is over. We will need to take new impressions to ensure your new crown or bridge fits into your newly straightened smile.

Crowns and bridges aren’t natural teeth, so unfortunately they won’t last forever. If you care for them well, however, they can last quite a long time! Statistics show that 90% of crowns will remain intact for more than five years before any further treatment is required.

50 to 80% of crowns will last between 15 and 20 years.

It is important to avoid sticky or chewy foods after getting a crown or bridge. These foods can grab and pull at the crowns — it can be uncomfortable, painful or could even pull out the crown. Think toffees, hard candies, chewing gum and anything extra sugary.

If possible, shift the bulk of your chewing to the opposite side of your mouth. This will reduce the risk of pulled crowns.

We also recommend being careful with hard foods that can dislodge or break the crown. In this case, you might choose to avoid hard chocolate, ice and raw vegetables.

Yes! Your temporary crowns are only made to last until your permanent crowns and/or bridges come in. We will provide instructions at your initial appointment but for the most part, you should follow these rules:

• Avoid chewy and sticky foods like chewing gum and toffee. These foods can grab and pull off your crown.
• Avoid hard foods like raw vegetables as these can dislodge or break the temporary crown.
• Avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where the temporary crown has been fixed. If possible, use the other side of your mouth to chew food.

If you don’t look after your crown and/or bridge, yes.

After the procedure, you may experience some pain and sensitivity as the anaesthesia wears off. If the tooth still has a nerve, you may experience some sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages.

If you experience pain or sensitivity when you bite down on something, it could mean the crown has been applied too high on the tooth. If this is an ongoing problem, contact your dentist for a check-up.

If the crown seems loose, it might mean there’s a lack of cement under the crown or the cement has been washed away by your saliva. We recommend contacting your dentist if the crown or bridge seems loose.

You can also chip a crown or bridge, especially if it’s made of porcelain.

Your crowns are attached to your natural teeth using dental cement. This paste is strong and durable but unfortunately, it doesn’t last forever. Even if you take excellent care of your teeth, the dental cement will deteriorate over time which can cause your crown to become loose and potentially fall out.

With this in mind, it’s important to have regular check-ups with your dentist and discuss if and when your crowns or bridges need to be replaced. If you suspect your crowns are loose, book a consultation with your dentist as soon as possible.

Please note: if your crown has fallen out, it is considered a dental emergency. We offer emergency dental services at Swansea Dental Practice so we can install a temporary crown as soon as possible.

Ultimately, it’s up to you and your dental health. For example, if the cavity in your tooth takes up more than two-thirds of your natural enamel, a crown can be used to cover and seal the damaged tooth from further bacteria and decay. If the tooth is putting other healthy teeth at risk of damage, we will perform an extraction instead.

We will provide treatment options for you to choose from, along with recommendations based on our years of experience. However, whether or not you get crowns comes down to your personal preference — if you prefer to have the tooth or teeth extracted, we can do so.

If the teeth are too damaged, we will have to extract them to prevent further damage. 

To detect any cavities or decay underneath your crowns, your dentist will usually use an x-ray, especially if the affected area is quite small. If any decay is detected, your dentist will need to remove the old crown, remove the decay and place a new crown.

The easiest way to avoid this kind of damage is to pay special attention to the edges of the crown where it attaches to the tooth while brushing. This will remove any bacteria around the tooth and prevent decay.

This is a very common question — and it’s a trick of the eye! Dental crowns are fixed to a metal post whether they are porcelain-fused-to-metal or composite crowns. In natural light, your crowns can have a grey tint because the outer material does not obscure the dark metal underneath.

If you notice a blackish line around the crown close to the gum, it could mean that the tooth underneath has started to decay. Although crowns protect the natural tooth structure, decay is still possible at the margin (i.e. edge).

If you have any concerns about the colour of your crowns or you’ve noticed a dark line start to appear close to the gum, contact the team from Swansea Dental Practice for a check-up. Our dentists will take in-depth x-rays of the tooth in question to determine if any decay is present.

Crowns are often associated with root canal therapy. In this procedure, the infected pulp of the tooth and living tissue is removed from the tooth. The remaining tooth structure can become brittle after the procedure, which is why your dentist might recommend a dental crown to protect the tooth from breaking.

A dental crown will ensure you can chew with normal force without any further risks.

If your dentist has recommended crowns, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need root canal therapy! Your tooth or teeth might just need trimming down and a cap or “crown” to restore the health and structure of the tooth. Root canal therapy is more so directed at teeth with infected pulp.