Restore Strength and Beauty with Crowns and Bridges in Calgary
Rebuilding Calgary Smiles with Crowns and Bridges
A broken or missing tooth can affect much more than your appearance – it can change how you chew, speak, and even smile around others. At Southcentre Dental in Calgary, we offer crowns and bridges to restore both strength and beauty to your smile. Crowns act like protective caps for damaged teeth, while bridges fill in the gaps left by missing teeth. Together, they bring comfort, confidence, and long-lasting function. Choosing crowns and bridges in Calgary means protecting your oral health and enjoying a smile that feels as good as it looks!
Why Crowns and Bridges Matter
Your teeth do more than help you eat – they play a key role in overall health and confidence.
- Crowns: When a tooth is weakened by decay, fracture, or a large filling, a crown provides protection. It fits over the tooth, restoring its shape, size, and function. By fully encasing a tooth, a crown also provides a seal against future decay. Crowns are ideal for teeth with extensive damage, large cracks, or to effectively cover discolored or misshapen teeth.
- Bridges: When one or more teeth are missing, a bridge fills the space using support from nearby teeth or implants. Since it’s permanently cemented, you never take it out, which keeps your other teeth from shifting into the empty space.
According to the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), untreated tooth loss can affect chewing, nutrition, and even speech. Dental restorations like crowns and bridges are critical for maintaining proper bite alignment and preventing long-term issues. By restoring function and appearance, these treatments can improve your quality of life.
What to Expect at Southcentre Dental
Getting a crown or bridge is a straightforward process. Here’s what you can expect:
- Initial Consultation: We examine your teeth, take digital X-rays, and discuss your personal restoration goals.
- Tooth Preparation: After your consultation, we’ll prepare your tooth for your permanent dental crown and place a temporary one until your customized crown is ready. For a dental bridge, we’ll take a mold of the area and install a temporary bridge before your permanent restoration is crafted.
- Restoration Fabrication: Your custom crown and/or bridge is created using durable, natural-looking materials.
- Fitting and Placement: We cement the crown or bridge in place and make sure it feels comfortable and looks natural. During your second appointment, our dentist will ensure that the colour, fit, and shape of your finished crown satisfy your needs.
- Follow-Up Care: We review how to care for your restoration and check the fit at future visits.
Link Between Oral & Overall Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) oral health surveillance report sheds light on how missing teeth can affect both your oral health and overall well-being. It points out that almost 13% of adults aged 65 and over have at least one permanent tooth with untreated decay, and this problem is even more common in certain population groups. Weakened teeth have also been found to have a significantly negative impact on one’s quality of life.
Crowns and bridges not only restore function but also prevent further oral health problems. By keeping your bite stable and your teeth protected, you support your long-term health and well-being.
How Often / Who Needs Crowns and Bridges
Crowns and bridges are recommended when:
- A tooth is cracked, fractured, or weakened.
- You have a large filling that needs reinforcement.
- A dental implant requires a crown for completion.
- You are missing one or more teeth.
- You’ve undergone a root canal on your molar or premolar teeth.
- You want to improve the shape or colour of a tooth.
How often are they replaced?
- Crowns typically last 10 years or more with good care.
- Bridges may last 10 years or longer, depending on oral hygiene and bite forces.
- Regular dental checkups help extend the life of your restorations.
At-Home Tips Between Visits
Crowns and bridges cover most of the tooth surface, but the area you cannot see offers the greatest potential for problems. The spot where a crown meets your natural tooth, usually at or below the gumline, is called the margin. The margin typically has a small ridge where plaque and bacteria can collect. If even a small amount of decay develops under your crown, it can progress unchecked because normal radiographs cannot see through a crown. Here’s how to care for your restorations:
- Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss daily, using special floss threaders for bridges.
- Use a floss threader to floss under and around the prosthetic tooth (or teeth) in the middle of the bridge.
- Avoid chewing ice or very hard foods that may crack restorations.
- After you floss, roll it up in a tiny ball and put it in the garbage. Never flush your floss down the toilet.
- Regular dental visits and professional cleanings are also important.
Signs You May Need Crowns or Bridges Now
- A cracked, broken, misshapen, discoloured, or severely worn tooth.
- Missing teeth affecting your bite or smile.
- Large fillings that feel loose or weak.
- Difficulty chewing or speaking clearly.
- Noticeable shifting of nearby teeth.
Why Choose Southcentre Dental for Crowns and Bridges in Calgary
At Southcentre Dental, patients trust us for:
- Customized care with crowns and bridges customized to your needs.
- Natural-looking results that restore both function and confidence.
- Comfort-focused dentistry to make every step easier.
- Comprehensive family care so your whole household is supported.
- Long-term solutions designed to protect oral health for years to come.
Options for Crowns and Bridges
Dental Crowns:
- Metal Crowns: Typically made of gold, these crowns are known for their trusted durability and are gentle on opposing teeth. However, their distinct colour doesn’t blend in with natural teeth, so they are not ideal for visible areas.
- Composite Crowns: These crowns are designed for a natural appearance. While less prone to chipping than porcelain, they can wear down more quickly and are susceptible to staining over time as the polished surface diminishes with repeated brushing.
- Porcelain Crowns: These customized crowns are made to match the look of natural teeth for a natural and esthetically pleasing result.
- Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns (PFM): These crowns combine the natural look of porcelain with the strength of a metal base, making them more durable than ceramic crowns and less likely to chip.
Dental Bridges:
- Traditional Bridges: Used when there are natural teeth on either side of the gap.
- Implant Bridges: This restoration is used when you don’t have enough healthy teeth to support a traditional bridge, or when several or all teeth are missing. This type of bridge is custom-made and anchored to dental implants.
- Resin-Bonded Bridges: Also known as a “Maryland” bridge, this is used for missing teeth at the front of the mouth. The prosthetic teeth are fused to metal bands and cemented to the back of your natural teeth.
Cantilever Bridges: Used when there are healthy teeth on only one side of the missing tooth or teeth. The restoration is anchored to one or more of your natural adjacent teeth.
Affordability & Insurance
We believe dental care should be accessible. At Southcentre Dental, we provide cost estimates before treatment and accept most major insurance plans. Many plans cover part of the cost of crowns and bridges. For patients without coverage, flexible payment options may be available.
Restore Your Smile with Confidence at Southcentre Dental
A broken or missing tooth doesn’t have to hold you back. At Southcentre Dental in Calgary, our custom crowns and bridges restore strength, beauty, and function to your smile. With caring support and long-lasting solutions, you can eat, speak, and smile with confidence again.
Call our office today or click to schedule your appointment – your healthy smile starts here!
Common Questions About Crowns and Bridges
How often do you have to replace crowns?
Crowns are not replaced on a fixed schedule. Our dentist will evaluate your crown’s condition during routine visits and may recommend a replacement. We may be more likely to repair a crown instead of replacing it if it is a molar or an upper tooth, or if it is made of amalgam. You may also require a repair if the main problem isn’t a fracture and the restoration covers more than one tooth surface. A full crown replacement involves removing the entire old crown, along with any unhealthy or discoloured tooth material. A repair, on the other hand, involves removing only the problematic part of the old crown and adding new filling material. Repairs may also involve smaller fixes like light grinding, polishing, or removing rough edges.
Will my crowns and bridges look natural?
Today’s dental materials are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth. Porcelain, ceramic, and zirconia crowns can be color-matched to the exact shade of your surrounding teeth and are virtually indistinguishable. Bridges are also crafted to match the size and shape of your natural teeth, restoring your smile without looking artificial.
How do crowns and bridges compare to implants?
Dental Implants are the most permanent solution for missing teeth because the implants integrate directly with your jawbone. Implants replace the root of a missing tooth and preserve jawbone loss, while bridges use nearby teeth for support. In contrast, a crown is a cap placed over a damaged tooth, the restoration does not replace missing teeth. Crowns and bridges also typically need to be replaced after 10 or more years and don’t prevent bone loss.
Will insurance cover crowns and bridges?
It depends on your specific dental insurance plan. Many dental plans cover at least part of the cost of a crown or bridge when the treatment is medically necessary, such as repairing a broken, weakened, or missing tooth. Cosmetic-only cases may have less coverage.
Call Southcentre Dental about Crowns and Bridges today!
Quick Benefits of Crowns and Bridges at Southcentre Dental
- Restore strength to weak, cracked, or worn teeth.
- Replace missing teeth for a full, confident smile.
- Improve chewing and speaking ability.
- Protect dental work from further damage or decay.
- Enhance appearance with a natural look and feel.