Crowns and Bridges

About Crowns and Bridges

A crown is a custom-made cover that fits over a tooth and takes over its shape, strength and appearance. It is used when too little sound tooth is left for a filling to be reliable — after a large cavity, a fracture, heavy wear, or root canal treatment on a back tooth that would otherwise be at risk of splitting.

A bridge uses the same technology to solve a different problem. Where a tooth is missing, an artificial tooth is joined to crowns on the teeth either side of the gap, and the whole unit is cemented in place as one piece. It does not come out, and it restores the ability to chew across the gap. The trade-off is that the supporting teeth have to be reduced to carry it — which is why a bridge is a straightforward choice when those teeth already need crowning, and a bigger decision when they are untouched.

Our Specialists:

Crown and bridge work is restorative dentistry, and most of the result is decided before anything is cemented: how the tooth is prepared, where the margin sits in relation to the gum, how the bite is balanced, and how carefully the shade and shape are matched to the teeth around it. Our clinicians will show you what is being planned and why, and will tell you when a simpler option — a filling, an onlay, or leaving a tooth alone for now — would serve you better.

What the process usually involves. The tooth is examined and radiographed, then numbed and shaped to make room for the crown. An impression or digital scan is taken and sent to the laboratory, and a temporary crown protects the tooth in the meantime. At the fitting appointment the crown is tried in, the contact points and the bite are adjusted, and it is cemented. A bridge follows the same sequence, with both supporting teeth prepared at the same visit. Most cases take two appointments over two to three weeks.

What to expect afterwards. A new crown can feel slightly different for a few days while you get used to its shape, and some sensitivity to cold is normal at first. Tell us if it feels high when you bite — that is adjusted in minutes and should not be lived with. Crowns do not decay, but the tooth underneath still can, so the margin at the gum line needs proper cleaning. Under a bridge you also need to clean beneath the artificial tooth with a floss threader, superfloss or an interdental brush; skipping this is the most common reason bridges eventually fail.

Coming from outside Egypt? Crown and bridge work suits a planned visit reasonably well, because the laboratory stage is measured in days rather than months. Send recent radiographs beforehand and we can give an initial view on how many units are involved and whether the work fits one trip. Where root canal treatment or gum treatment is needed first, that changes the plan and we will say so before you book travel.

Materials differ in strength and in how they handle light, and the right choice depends on which tooth is being restored, how much space there is and how heavily you bite. If you are weighing a bridge against replacing the tooth with an implant, our article on dental implants versus dental bridges compares the two honestly, and our dental implants page explains the alternative in full.

To arrange a consultation at our clinic on Abbas El-Akkad in Nasr City, call +20 101 969 7597 or message us on WhatsApp.