When a tooth is severely damaged or missing, two of the most common restorative solutions are dental crowns and dental bridges. While they're related, they solve different problems — and understanding the distinction helps you have a more informed conversation with your dentist.
What Is a Crown?
A dental crown is a cap that fits over a single tooth, restoring its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Crowns are used when a tooth is cracked, broken, severely decayed, or has been treated with a root canal. The tooth is reshaped, an impression is taken, and a custom porcelain or ceramic crown is fabricated to fit precisely over it.
What Is a Bridge?
A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring artificial teeth (called pontics) to the natural teeth on either side of the gap. Those anchor teeth are crowned, and the pontic hangs between them. The result is a fixed, non-removable restoration that looks and functions like natural teeth.
Key Differences
A crown addresses a damaged tooth that still has its root. A bridge addresses a gap where a tooth has been lost entirely. If you're missing a tooth and the adjacent teeth are healthy, a bridge requires preparing those teeth — which involves removing some enamel. This is a permanent alteration, so it's worth weighing against the alternative of a dental implant.
What About Implants?
For missing teeth, implants are often the gold standard because they replace the root as well as the crown, preserving the jawbone and leaving adjacent teeth untouched. However, they require a surgical procedure and are not suitable for everyone. At FORME, we'll walk through all options with you based on your bone structure, budget, and timeline before recommending a path forward.
Exploring your restoration options? Learn more about our Restorative Dentistry services or book a consultation.
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