Whether you need to restore a damaged tooth or replace one that’s missing, dental crowns and bridges offer a strong, natural-looking solution that can last for many years.
1 visitHybrid ceramic crowns and onlays, made here
Costs firstConfirmed before anything begins
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What it fixes
When might you need a crown?
A dental crown is a custom-made cap that fits over a damaged, decayed or weakened tooth to restore its shape, strength and appearance. Crowns are used after root canal treatment, to protect a heavily filled tooth, or to improve the look of a misshapen or discoloured tooth. A dental bridge uses crowns in a different way: to hold a replacement tooth in the space where one is missing.
After root canal treatmentA crown protects and strengthens a tooth that has been treated with root canal therapy. A root-treated tooth is more brittle than a live one, and a crown holds it together under the force of chewing.
A heavily filled toothWhen a tooth has too little natural structure remaining for a filling, a crown provides full coverage and protection. It is a common next step when a large, old filling keeps breaking.
A cracked or broken toothA crown holds a cracked tooth together and prevents further damage or sensitivity. A corner that has sheared off a back tooth is often rebuilt this way.
A worn or weakened toothTeeth that have become worn down through grinding or erosion can be built back up with a crown, restoring their height and the way your teeth meet.
A misshapen or discoloured toothCrowns can improve the appearance of a tooth that doesn’t respond to whitening or other cosmetic treatments, such as a front tooth that has darkened after an injury.
An onlay instead of a crownWhere the damage is on the biting surface but the walls of the tooth are sound, an onlay covers only the part that needs it and keeps more of your own tooth than a crown. Our hybrid ceramic crowns and onlays are designed and made here on our SprintRay Midas, so the tooth is prepared, the restoration made and fitted in a single visit. Full ceramic onlays are also available. Same-day crowns and onlays →
To anchor a dental bridgeA crown on the tooth next to the gap, or crowns on the teeth either side, carry a dental bridge, so the replacement tooth is fixed in place rather than removable.
Not sure whether the tooth needs a crown, a large filling or something else? Book an examination. Your dentist will look at the tooth and the x-ray, explain the options and tell you the cost of each before anything begins.
Replacing a missing tooth
How a dental bridge works
A dental bridge is used to replace one or more missing teeth. It consists of one or more false teeth (called pontics) held in place by a crown fitted to the natural tooth next to the gap, or crowns on the teeth either side, creating a fixed, natural-looking replacement.
Fixed, not removableA bridge is cemented onto the supporting teeth, so it stays in place while you eat and speak and is cleaned in the mouth rather than taken out at night.
Made to matchThe bridge is made in the dental laboratory from a digital scan of your mouth, in a shade chosen to sit alongside your own teeth.
One crown or twoA bridge can be one crown on the tooth next to the gap with the missing tooth attached to it, or two crowns on the teeth either side with the missing tooth between them. Your dentist advises which suits the gap and the teeth around it.
Relies on the neighbouring teethThe supporting tooth or teeth are prepared for crowns to carry the bridge. This suits best when they already need crowns or have large fillings.
Keeps the other teeth in placeA gap left for years lets the teeth around it tilt and drift; filling it keeps your bite stable and the neighbouring teeth easier to clean.
A bridge is one of three ways to replace a missing tooth. The comparison below sets out how it differs from a crown and an implant, and we offer all three at the practice.
Choosing the right treatment
Crown, bridge or implant?
A crown saves a tooth you still have. A bridge and an implant replace one you have lost. Which is right depends on the tooth, the gap and the teeth either side of it.
Dental crown
A cap fitted over your own tooth to protect and rebuild it. For a tooth that is cracked, heavily filled, worn or root-treated. Usually two visits, under local anaesthetic, with a temporary crown in between.
Fixed bridge
A replacement tooth held in place by a crown on the tooth next to the gap, or crowns on the teeth either side. Fixed and quicker than an implant, with no surgery, but it relies on the supporting teeth, which usually need to be prepared to carry it.
Dental implant
A titanium root placed in the jaw with a crown on top. Stands on its own, leaves the neighbouring teeth untouched and helps maintain the bone. Needs healthy gums and enough bone, and takes a few months from placement to final tooth. Usually the longest-lasting replacement.
Unsure? Book an examination. You will get a clear answer on which option suits your mouth, including when the honest answer is that a filling or a denture would serve you better.
Your appointment
How crowns and bridges work
The process is similar for both crowns and bridges and typically involves two appointments.
Radhika with a patient at the practice.
1Consultation and preparationWe assess the tooth and prepare it by removing any damaged areas and shaping it to accommodate the crown. A local anaesthetic is used throughout. For a bridge, the supporting tooth or teeth are prepared in the same way.
2Digital scanA precise digital scan of the prepared tooth is taken and sent to our dental laboratory, where your custom crown or bridge is made. No putty impressions. The shade is chosen with you against your own teeth before the scan goes.
3Temporary restorationA temporary crown or bridge is placed to protect the tooth while your permanent restoration is being made. You can eat with it, though it pays to chew gently on that side and avoid anything very sticky.
4FittingFor a laboratory crown or bridge, at your second appointment the finished restoration is checked for fit, colour and comfort, then permanently bonded in place. For a hybrid ceramic crown or onlay made on our SprintRay Midas, there is no temporary and no second visit: the crown is pressed, polished and fitted in the same appointment. Either way, your bite is checked and any high spot adjusted before you leave.
Afterwards, the tooth and gum may feel a little tender for a day or two, and a new crown can feel slightly different in the bite at first. Both usually settle. If the crown feels high when you bite together after a few days, call us and we adjust it.
Nervous about the dentist? Both visits are under local anaesthetic, we check you are fully numb before starting, and you can stop us at any point by raising a hand.
Ceramic onlay, hybrid or full ceramicQuoted after examination
Dental bridgeQuoted after consultation
What moves the price
For a crown, the material. A hybrid ceramic crown sits at the lower end of the range and a full ceramic crown at the upper end, with more premium full ceramic options above that; your dentist will discuss the most suitable material for your individual case, which depends on where the tooth is and how much force it takes.
Bridge fees depend on the number of units required: a bridge replacing one tooth has three units (two crowns and the tooth between them), and a longer gap needs more. The cost is quoted after your consultation, once we know how many teeth are involved and whether the supporting teeth need any other work.
…it has changed the way I eat and smile after years of confidence issues… they have certainly banished any fear I had about a visit to the dentist.
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Crowns and bridges FAQs
Your questions, answered
Anything we have not covered, ask at your appointment or call the practice on 0141 334 2550.
With good oral hygiene and regular check-ups, a well-made crown or bridge can last 10 to 15 years or longer. What usually ends the life of a crown is not the crown itself but decay at its edge or a problem in the tooth beneath it, which is why keeping the margin clean and attending check-ups matters.
The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic, so you should feel no discomfort during treatment. Some mild sensitivity around the tooth afterwards is normal and usually settles quickly.
At Dentistry @ Jordanhill, white ceramic crowns are £504–£792 depending on the material. Bridge fees are given on request following a consultation, because they depend on the number of units required. Fees are a guide only; your dentist confirms the cost after your examination.
We use high-quality white ceramic crowns that closely match the appearance of natural teeth, in hybrid ceramic and full ceramic. Your dentist will discuss the most suitable material for your individual case.
One or two. A hybrid ceramic crown or onlay is made in the practice on our SprintRay Midas and fitted in the same visit the tooth is prepared. A laboratory full ceramic crown or a bridge takes two: at the first, the tooth is prepared, a digital scan is taken and a temporary fitted; at the second, the finished restoration is checked and bonded in place.
In many cases, yes, particularly for back teeth that take the most chewing force. A root-treated tooth is more likely to crack without the protection of a crown, so it is usually best fitted soon after the root canal treatment is finished rather than left for years.
Crowns and bridges should be cared for just like natural teeth: brush twice daily and clean between teeth with floss or interdental brushes. For bridges, a special floss threader or interdental brush helps clean underneath the pontic. Regular hygiene visits keep the margins clean where plaque likes to collect.
Both are effective ways to replace missing teeth. A bridge is generally quicker and less expensive, but requires the supporting tooth or teeth to be prepared. A dental implant is a standalone replacement that doesn’t affect neighbouring teeth. Your dentist will help you decide which is right for you.
A crown covers the entire tooth and is used mainly for strength and protection. A veneer covers only the front surface and is primarily cosmetic. Your dentist will advise which is more appropriate for your situation.
Ceramic crowns are made in a shade chosen against your own teeth, and because they contain no metal there is nothing to show as a dark line at the gum. On a front tooth the aim is for the crown to be hard to pick out from its neighbours; on a back tooth the priority is strength, and the crown is still tooth-coloured.
Keep the crown somewhere safe and call the practice on 0141 334 2550. A crown that has come off can often be cleaned and re-cemented if the tooth underneath is sound. Avoid chewing on the exposed tooth in the meantime, as it may be sensitive and is easier to damage without its crown.
Yes, with a little care. A temporary crown is held with a weaker cement so that it can be removed at your second visit, so chew gently on that side and avoid very sticky or hard foods such as toffee and nuts. If it comes off, keep it and call us.
Yes. Crowns are replaced when they chip, when decay develops at the edge, or when an older metal-based crown shows a dark line at the gum that you would rather not see. The old crown is removed, the tooth is reassessed and a new ceramic crown is made in the same two-visit process.
An onlay is a ceramic restoration that covers the biting surface and one or more cusps of a back tooth, without covering the whole tooth the way a crown does, so more of your own tooth is kept. We make hybrid ceramic onlays in the practice on a SprintRay Midas, which means the tooth is usually prepared, the onlay designed, made and fitted in a single visit, with no temporary and no second appointment. Full ceramic onlays made in the laboratory are also available where your dentist recommends one. The cost is quoted after your examination.
Find us in the West End
Find us on Crow Road
454 Crow Road, Glasgow G11 7DR
Next to Jordanhill train station, on bus routes, with parking close by. Ground-floor surgery with disabled access at the front of the practice. Opening hours are in the footer below.
Dentistry @ JordanhillWest End of Glasgow
