Crowns, bridges, and veneers are different types of prosthetic solutions.
Crowns cover the whole tooth to strengthen and improve the appearance (colour and shape), bridges replace missing teeth and often consist of several crowns linked together attached to the teeth either side of the gap.
Veneers cover only the front of the tooth to improve the appearance and occasionally strength. All of them are made of porcelain and are provided for different reasons.
Crowns
Bridges
Veneers
Purpose
- Strengthen tooth
- Allows significant improvement in color or shape
Replace missing teeth
- Allows improvement in colour
- Allows minor changes in shape
Amount of trimming needed
Significant amount – only on the tooth that needs to be crowned
Significant amount – on two teeth at either side of the gap
Small amount – only on the front side of the tooth
Strength
Strong and durable
Strong and durable
Strong but brittle
Coverage
Covers the entire trimmed tooth
Covers entire teeth that were trimmed, including gap
Covers the front of the tooth
Material
Porcelain or metal (gold/silver)
Porcelain
Porcelain
Cost
$700 to $3,000
$700 to $3,000
$700 to $3,000
