A crown is a cover  the shape of a tooth that goes over the whole of your tooth after it has been cut to shape to restore function, aesthetics or both. 

They may be used on teeth that have broken down too much to place a filling or It may  have been recommended after root canal of back teeth to prevent the root treated tooth from vertical fractures. 

The procedure

Your tooth will need to be shaped by cutting parts of it down this is often done under local anaesthetic which involves a small injection to numb the area however if the tooth has already been root treated that may not be needed. 

A mould will then be taken of the tooth and sent to a dental laboratory who will make the crown. In the meantime a temporary crown may be provided to help keep the other teeth in place as well as help with function. It's important to take care eating on temporary crowns as they are not as strong. Usually it takes 1-2 weeks for crowns to be made and returned 

When the crown is ready an appointment will be needed to fit the crown. This is usually fairly quick and often doesn't require any local anasthetic. The temporary is removed and the new crown cemented in place. 

You will be advised to take care eating for the next hour or so. 

The bite may have slightly changed whilst the crown was being made and the new crown may feel slightly high, this is often the case and usually takes another couple of weeks for things to adjust back. 

Crowns are very strong and very unlikely to break but avoid toffee or similar very sticky foods as the upward force they can apply can cause the crown to dislodge. 

What is the cost

Crows are available under the NHS band 3. In molars the material would be a silver non precious metal as it is the strongest and easiest to manufactured and fit. In front teeth usually a ceramic tooth coloured material is used. 

Ceramic tooth coloured crowns are available privately for molars and there are also more aesthetic options available privately for front teeth. Speak to your dentist to discuss which material is best for you. 

Bridges

Bridges are used to replace missing teeth by getting permanently stuck to the teeth next to the space. The design of the bridge will vary depending on the situation. Bridges are rarely available as NHS treatment as there are normally less destructive options such as dentures available. In certain circumstances they are available as band 3 treatment. 

Bridges generally fall in to two categories: 

Resin bonded - these  are stuck the the tooth next to the missing tooth using a wing and very strong resin based glue. These can be very effective but will not work in all situations. The tooth next to the missing tooth may need some minor alteration in some cases.  

Conventional - These involve cutting down the tooth next to the space the same way for a crown and then cementing the bridge over the tooth that has been cut down this also holds the tooth which fills the space. These require destruction of the tooth next to the space and are rarely recommended. A denture or implant is usually a better option. These are not usually available as an NHS option. 

Bridges are also more difficult to keep clean so can make any gum disease in the area worse. If you have a bridge fitted you will be instructed how to keep it clean and should visit the dentist/ hygienist to have it checked regularly.