Crowns & Bridges

Crowns and bridges — strong, beautiful, long-lasting tooth restoration

When a tooth is too badly damaged for a filling, a crown rebuilds it back to full strength and appearance. When a tooth is missing, a bridge fills the gap — using the teeth either side as support. Both are long-established treatments we do regularly, with materials and techniques that have improved dramatically over the last 20 years.

At a glance

  • Crown, any material£450Porcelain bonded, Zirconia and E-Max are the same price — chosen on merit, not cost
  • Front teethE-MaxAll-ceramic, for the lifelike translucency that matters where it shows
  • Back teethZirconiaMetal-free and exceptionally strong under the load of chewing

Our crown options

  • Porcelain bonded crown (PBC) — £450. A reliable workhorse: a metal core for strength, porcelain outside for appearance.
  • Zirconia (PFZ) — £450. Metal-free, exceptionally strong, beautifully aesthetic. Often our recommendation for back teeth.
  • E-Max — £450. A premium all-ceramic crown known for its lifelike translucency. Often our recommendation for front teeth and visible aesthetic cases.

We talk through which is right for you based on the tooth’s position, the bite, your aesthetic goals and what we’re seeing under the existing crown or filling.

Bridges

  • Bridgework — from £450 per unit. A custom-made restoration that spans a gap, supported by the teeth on either side.
  • Moveable bridge joint — £45 (added where the design needs it).
  • Post and core — £100 (where the underlying tooth needs reinforcement before crowning).

For larger gaps, a dental implant is often the better long-term answer because it doesn’t require us to prepare the neighbouring teeth. We’ll talk you through the trade-offs honestly.

What to expect

Crowns and bridges typically take two visits — preparation and impression at the first visit (with a temporary crown fitted), then fitting of the final crown about two weeks later once the lab has made it. Most are comfortable throughout; we’ll use local anaesthetic for the preparation visit.

Before and after

Crown

Front teeth before crown treatment
Before
Front teeth after crown treatment
After

Crown

Smile before crown treatment
Before
Smile after crown treatment
After

Bridge

Smile with a missing front tooth before a dental bridge
Before
Smile after a dental bridge replaced the missing tooth
After

Frequently asked

How long do crowns and bridges last?

With good oral hygiene and routine hygiene visits, modern crowns and bridges typically last 10–15 years or more.

Will it look like a real tooth?

Yes. Particularly with zirconia and E-Max, the result is genuinely indistinguishable from a natural tooth to anyone but a dentist with a strong light.

Can I eat normally afterwards?

Yes — once the final crown is fitted you can eat normally. During the two-week temporary phase, we’d ask you to avoid very sticky or very hard food on that tooth.

Will I need a root canal first?

Sometimes. If the underlying tooth has nerve damage, we’d treat that first — Dr Brian Vaughan handles root canal treatment in-house. See Root Canal.

Call us on 028 3025 2228 to discuss your crown or bridge treatment.