Crown and bridge restorations: strong, natural-looking restorations tailored to your practice
All of your crown and bridge restorations are uniquely designed by our experienced CAD team and hand finished to your specific requirements by our fantastic and dedicated ceramic team of experts.
We use the very best materials and techniques to produce high-quality, natural, bespoke restorations for you and your patients.
Advanced materials for strong, natural crown and bridge restorations
There are a plethora of ceramic materials to choose from in order to achieve the most natural appearance for restorations. These range from a full-contour monolithic solution to a more traditionally layered crown or bridge.
The material of choice for many clinicians is a monolithic material, such as a high-strength zirconia or a lithium disilicate.
Flexible solutions for every crown and bridge case
Why choose GoDigital Dental for crowns and bridges?
From single units to full-arch bridgework, our crown and bridge restorations are crafted to the highest standards.
Utilising advanced digital workflows and meticulously tailored designs, we deliver restorations that combine exceptional precision with aesthetic excellence. With GoDigital Dental, you can trust in seamless results that meet the most discerning clinical and cosmetic expectations.
Zirconia for modern dentistry
Monolithic zirconia
Zirconia was traditionally used for strength as an alternative to metal. Over the years this material has only increased in strength, allowing us to utilise it for full arch implant cases. It has also vastly improved in terms of the aesthetic potential. At GoDigital Dental, we use the very best zirconia we can source, giving our dentists the best of both worlds for both crowns and bridges. We have seen quite a shift from a more traditionally layered crown or bridge towards using a fully monolithic zirconia to really achieve a certain result where aesthetics are concerned. The development of zirconia has seen it go from a pure white block to a multilayered monolithic block with high translucencies and durability for us to be able to achieve the high demands when it comes to appearance that are so often associated with cosmetic cases.Â
Advanced ceramics for crown and bridge restorations
Lithium disilicate
Lithium disilicate (or Ivoclar emax) is widely used for those hyper-sensitive cosmetic cases. With its translucency and strength, this material can provide beautiful results for veneer cases, inlays and onlays, as well as posterior work. The beauty of lithium disilicate is that, as a laboratory we are able to control the opacity of the material to aid us in block selection for those more difficult to cover cases, with the CAM block selection ranges from HO (high opacity) to HT (high translucency). With the aid of online tools to select the correct block shade, we can communicate effectively with the clinician to help them envision the final result.Â
Translucent ceramics for a natural finish
Feldspar ceramics
Feldspar ceramics are a great way of achieving a more natural finish to cases where appearance is a priority due to their excellent translucencies and natural, tooth-like appearance. These materials are mainly glass-based, making them aesthetically pleasing, but relatively lower in strength compared to other dental ceramics.
They can be used in layered restorations where they are fused to a stronger core (such as zirconia or metal) to enhance durability while maintaining aesthetic qualities. Due to their brittleness, they are less suitable for high-stress areas, but could be worth considering as an option for veneer cases. If you’re unsure whether Feldspar ceramics are a good fit for a particular case, this is something we are more than happy to discuss with you and your team to help you make an informed decision.
High-performance hybrid for crown & bridge work
Hybrid dental ceramics
Hybrid ceramic is a great solution for those restorative situations where a full ceramic it isn’t suitable.Â
Our technicians may suggest using these materials at times where there is little space, perhaps in a posterior region, and a gold alloy isn’t an acceptable material for your patient.
A hybrid ceramic still offers high strength and durability, excellent marginal adaptation and looks great.Â
A hybrid ceramic can be used in crown and bridge work, or utilised in full arch implant cases where a metal substructure is used for support.
At GoDigital Dental, we’re committed to providing the best crowns and bridges using advanced technology and expert craftsmanship. Let us help you deliver high-quality, long-lasting results for your patients.
Get in touch today and receive a complimentary consultation.
Crown and bridge FAQs
What materials do you use for crown and bridge restorations?
We can offer many different materials to fabricate your crown and bridge restorations. The material of most people’s choice is either lithium disilicate or zirconia, however we can usually offer whichever material you prefer, whether that is a more traditional metal-bonded unit or a full contour unit in an alternative ceramic.Â
We have requests for full gold crowns in some situations, as this is the best material for the case in question. Although materials have advanced considerably over the past 20 years with the development of digital dentistry, there is still space and demand for the traditional methods and materials. If you are unsure which material to select, our team can talk you through the options you are considering and help you make an informed decision.
How do I choose between glass ceramics and zirconia for my patient’s case?
From our perspective as a dental lab, the main differences between glass ceramics and zirconia include strength and translucency, and prep design. Occlusal space is an important factor when choosing between these two materials. We may suggest you use zirconia in situations where the occlusal vertical dimensions are a little tight; in this case we can suggest a high-strength zirconia with a polished surface.
If you have patient for whom aesthetics is majorly important, and who also has no discolouration of the prepped tooth, we could recommend a Feldspathic ceramic CAM block. It really does depend on the individual crown or bridge case, which is why we treat every digital scan with the time and consideration it deserves. We will also communicate with the dentist as much as we possibly can and are always more than happy to support clinicians to deliver the best possible restorations to their patients.
What shade guide does the GoDigital Dental Lab team prefer?
Our Ceramic team likes to use 3 different shade guides for different reasons.
The first of these is the Vita shade guide, which is one of the most popular. This gives the team 16 shades to take shades with and check all outgoing cases. It has been the go-to for many years for dentists and technicians.
The second guide they utilise for the harder-to-match shades is the Vita 3D Master shade guide, which has a total of 26 shades. The 3D Master allows the ceramic team to select a more accurate shade starting with the lightness levels before making the decision on the hue and chroma.Â
The third one is the bleach shade guides. We use both the Vita and Ivoclar, depending on which the dentist prefers.
Would you recommend a PMMA try-in for crown and bridge cases?
A PMMA try-in would be suggested if we feel that the patient and dentist would benefit from this case review tool. We find it works well in crown and bridge restoration cases where there are drastic changes to either the occlusal vertical dimensions (OVD), or if the restoration is going to alter a person’s appearance dramatically.
It greatly improves the communication between clinician and patient as they can decide together if the case is going in the direction they had envisaged. Often we all have an image in mind, but that is personal to us as individuals and it can be hard to communicate this vision to someone else. Photos are an amazing way of conveying your thoughts to us at the laboratory, but there are occasions where we are not able to provide the results in a photograph with the case that is presented. The way we can communicate this is by sending you a digital CAD file through Exocad in order for you to sit with your patient and go through this together virtually before anything is milled or printed and give us your feedback on the design.
Once you’re both happy with the design, the patient will have the opportunity to wear the PMMA try-in for a very short while to ensure they are happy and ready to proceed to the final ceramic restorations.
Can PMMA prototype try-ins be used as long-term temporaries?
No, PMMA prototype try-ins are not designed for long-term use. They are made to be temporary for the purpose of testing the fit, function, and appearance before the final restoration is created.
Do you accept all IOSs (intraoral scanners) for crown and bridge cases?
Yes, we accept all IOS files. We work with all mainstream software to accept your IOS and we can provide you with a PDF that has all the information to link your scanner to GoDigital Dental.
We support a fully digital workflow for crown and bridge restorations, and we know that digital impressions are quicker and more accurate than traditional ones, streamlining the process
Once we receive the digital scans, we use advanced computer software (CAD/CAM) to design and manufacture the restorations precisely. The digital workflow ensures that restorations are made to fit well and reduces the need for adjustments, speeding up the process and improving the results.
What turnaround time can I expect for crown and bridge restorations?
We request that you allow 10 working days for crown and bridge restorations to be completed in the laboratory based on the below example:
- Mon (Day 1): Scan arrives pre 1pm at GoDigital Dental laboratory
- Day 2-9: The case is worked on for the next 10 working days
- Fri (Day 10): The case is shipped back to the dental practice via Royal Mail on a tracked and signed for pre-1pm delivery
- Cases received after the 1pm deadline will automatically be placed on to the next day’s workflow.Â
If you have any cases that you require back before the above time frame, please give the lab a call and we will try our very best to fit the case in for you. We understand that some cases are urgent, so will accommodate where possible. Â
Do you provide shade taking services?
Yes, we provide a shade taking service at GoDigital Dental for all our local practices and their patients. We can also facilitate a personalised shade take for those who live further afield but wish to come to the lab in person. There are great public transport links from Nottingham City centre via a tram link or bus service. We are also situated perfectly on the M1, being a 4 minute drive from junction 26, and we have free car parking available too. If directions or further information is required, please call the lab and our wonderful admin assistant can help guide your patient to us.
How do your crown and bridge restorations reduce chairside adjustments?
We use precise digital technology to design and create crown and bridge restorations. The use of CAD/CAM technology ensures the restorations are highly accurate, meaning they should fit correctly when placed. This reduces the need for adjustments once the restoration is ready.
We also use PMMA prototype try-ins to refine the fit before the final restoration is made. This step ensures that most of the adjustments are done in advance, which means less time spent on chairside adjustments during the final fitting. The result is a smoother and faster procedure.
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GoDigital Dental
Contact us to discuss your requirements with an expert.
0115 648 8288
hello@godigital-dental.com
GoDigital Dental | Dental Lab
6 Millennium Way West
Nottingham
NG8 6AS