Dental Crowns & Bridges in Harley Street, London

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped ‘cap’ that sits over the weakened tooth to protect it. We use the procedure to help restore fractured, chipped or damaged teeth whilst ensuring the crown matches the rest of your smile. A dental bridge also restores your smile and is used to replace one or more missing teeth.

Porcelain crowns are made from a variety of hardwearing materials. The type of material used will depend on the type of procedure you need.

A porcelain bonded to precious metal crown is made of a precious metal base. Porcelain is then applied in layers over the base.

Porcelain crowns are not as strong as the bonded style, but they can look very natural and are mostly used on front teeth. They are perfect for patients that do not grind their teeth.

Porcelain and composite crowns are made of a resin material and can also look very natural. They are not as strong as bonded crowns and are used as a long-term solution for full mouth reconstruction cases. These crowns help the patient to get used to a repositioning of the bite.

Precious metal crowns are made from gold and palladium. They are extremely strong and hardwearing and are usually applied to the back of the mouth. Metal crowns are not visible and most suitable for people who grind and clench their teeth.

To create the perfect dental crown, we would need to take an impression of your teeth before sending it to the dental laboratory. Expert technicians handcraft your new crown and will make sure it matches your natural tooth shade. During your second visit, we bond the newly prepared crown into place with a special adhesive.

Please book an appointment so that we can assess the condition of your teeth. During your consultation, we will discuss the most suitable course of dental treatment for you.

Please read our FAQs about dental crowns and bridges to understand more about the procedure.

• How is a crown made?

  The tooth will be prepared to the ideal shape of the crown. This will involve removing most of the outer surface of the tooth leaving a core. The thickness of the crown will be the same as the amount of tooth that has been removed.

  Once the tooth is shaped an impression of the prepared tooth will be taken and one of the opposite jaw and another to mark the way you bite. All the impressions will be sent to the technician to reproduce a crown that fits the tooth. A visit to the laboratory will be needed to match the colour of the crown to the existing teeth. The prepared tooth will have a temporary crown fitted until the new crown is ready.

  The treatment takes at least two visits to the surgery and one visit with the laboratory.

• How long will a crown last?

  You can expect a new crown to last 5-15 years. With regular dental health checkups and good hygiene your crown may last 25-30 years.

• Why should missing teeth be replaced?

  Appearance and better function of the mouth. The gap left by a missing tooth can mean greater strain is put on the teeth on each side. The bite can be affected because the teeth on each side of the missing tooth can lean into the gap and alter the way the upper and lower teeth meet. Food can get into the gap and decay and gum disease will develop.

• How are missing teeth replaced?

  The placement of missing teeth depends on the location of the gaps and the condition of the remaining teeth. There are a few options to replace missing teeth. A bridge is usually used where fewer teeth need replacing. An implant can be placed into the gap of the missing tooth or a partial denture.

• How are bridges made?

  A bridge is made by constructing crowns on the teeth on either side of the space, and joining these two crowns together by placing a false tooth in the space. The procedure is the same as the crown procedure. The end result is very aesthetic and functional.