Dental · Mulund East
Crowns, bridges and dentures in Mulund East
A broken, heavily filled or missing tooth can be rebuilt or replaced. Dr Ria Gerela provides ceramic and metal-ceramic crowns, bridges, complete and partial dentures, repair of a failed crown, and full mouth rehabilitation.
What it is
Crowns, bridges and dentures explained
A crown is a cap that covers a weak or damaged tooth to give it back its shape and strength. A bridge replaces a missing tooth by fixing a false tooth to crowns on the teeth either side. A denture is a removable plate carrying one, several or all of the teeth in a jaw.
Crowns and bridges are made in ceramic, which looks most natural, or metal-ceramic, which is very strong for back teeth. Full mouth rehabilitation is for a badly worn or extensively damaged bite: the whole mouth is planned and rebuilt as one course rather than tooth by tooth.
What happens at the visit
Step 1
Examination and plan
Dr Ria checks the tooth or the gap with a digital X-ray and explains the choices: ceramic or metal-ceramic, bridge or implant, complete or partial denture.
Step 2
Preparation and impression
The tooth is shaped under local anaesthetic to make room for the crown and an impression is taken. A temporary crown protects it. For dentures, impressions and bite records take a couple of visits.
Step 3
Fitting
The finished crown, bridge or denture is tried in, the fit and the bite are adjusted, and the crown or bridge is cemented in place.
Sittings and aftercare
How many sittings
A crown or bridge usually takes two visits, one to prepare and one to fit, with the laboratory making it in between. Dentures need several short visits for impressions, bite and try-in, and often an adjustment afterwards. Repair of a failed crown depends on what failed: sometimes the old crown is re-cemented, sometimes the tooth needs a root canal or a new crown. Full mouth rehabilitation is planned as one course, visits agreed at the start. Fees are confirmed when you book.
Aftercare
- Avoid sticky or very hard food on a new crown for the first day
- Floss under a bridge with the threader you are shown
- New dentures take a couple of weeks to get used to, come back if a sore spot develops
- Take dentures out at night and clean them, and brush the gums and any remaining teeth
Dr Ria Gerela, at the Mulund East clinic
Who does it
Dentist and implantologist, in practice since 2001, with a special interest in cosmetic dentistry and dental implants.
Full profile →Questions patients ask
Ceramic or metal-ceramic?
Ceramic crowns have no metal and look most natural, so they usually go on front teeth. Metal-ceramic crowns have a metal core under the porcelain and are very strong, a good choice for back teeth. Dr Ria recommends one for each tooth.
My old crown has failed. Can it be fixed?
Often. If the crown has simply come off and the tooth underneath is sound, it is cleaned and re-cemented. If there is decay beneath it or the tooth has cracked, the tooth is treated first and a new crown made. Bring the old crown with you.
Bridge, denture or implant?
A bridge is fixed and quick but uses the neighbouring teeth for support. A partial denture is removable and the least invasive. An implant stands alone and does not touch other teeth. Which suits you depends on the gap, the teeth beside it and your budget.
Related pages
Dental implants
The fixed alternative to a bridge or a loose denture.
Root canal treatment
Often the step before a crown.
All dental treatments
Everything Dr Ria treats at Mulund East.
Rebuild the tooth, or the whole bite
From a single crown to full mouth rehabilitation, it starts with an examination.