Tired of Teeth That Shift or Fall Out With Removable Options?
Crowns cover a tooth that's broken, cracked, or has severe decay. Bridges fill the space left by one or more missing teeth using crowns anchored to the surrounding teeth.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Boris Zusin, DDS, FAGD, MBA, MS, Diplomate, American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) · Last reviewed July 31, 2026
Function and Appearance of Natural, Healthy Teeth
A bridge may be recommended when one or more teeth are missing and there's a gap that needs to be filled to restore your bite and prevent shifting.
A crown is also the standard next step after root canal treatment — once the tooth's infection is resolved, a crown protects and restores it to full function.
Am I a Candidate?
You should have healthy gums and enough remaining healthy tooth structure to support a crown; a bridge is appropriate when there's a gap from one or more missing teeth between otherwise healthy teeth.
Crown or Bridge — Which Do You Need?
Both are well-established, predictable restorations — the right one depends on whether the tooth itself is still there.
When a Crown Makes Sense
A crown fully covers what's left of a tooth, rather than replacing a missing one. It's the standard recommendation once a tooth has lost roughly half or more of its structure to decay, fracture, or a large existing filling, and it's especially important after a root canal — a treated tooth is more brittle and prone to fracture, which is why crowning it afterward is the near-universal recommendation among dentists.
When a Bridge Makes Sense
A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth using the neighboring teeth (or implants) as anchors. A traditional bridge requires shaping the adjacent teeth down for full crowns; a Maryland (resin-bonded) bridge bonds thin wings to the back of the neighboring teeth instead, which is far more conservative but doesn't hold up quite as well long-term — more on that below. A cantilever bridge, anchored on only one side, is generally the least durable option and reserved for specific situations.
How Long Crowns & Bridges Actually Last
These are dependable, well-studied restorations, but longevity varies by type — and it's driven mainly by material choice, the health of the supporting teeth, and how many teeth the restoration has to span.
| Restoration | Typical Survival | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single crown | ~94–95% at 5 years | Among the most predictable restorations in dentistry |
| Traditional (tooth-supported) bridge | ~89% at 10 years | Full-crown preparation on both anchor teeth |
| Maryland / resin-bonded bridge | ~88% at 5 years | More conservative prep, slightly lower long-term survival than a traditional bridge |
| Cantilever bridge | Lowest of the options above | Anchored on one side only; reserved for specific cases |
| Combined tooth-and-implant bridge | ~70% at 10 years | Higher complication rate; generally avoided when a simpler option exists |
One practical takeaway from the long-term data: single-unit restorations — an individual crown, whether on a natural tooth or an implant — consistently outperform multi-tooth bridges over decades of follow-up. That's part of why we'll walk you through a dental implant as an alternative when a missing tooth is involved, rather than defaulting to a bridge in every case.
Choosing the Right Material
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM)
The long-standing benchmark — strong and highly predictable, with around 92% survival at 10 years. Its metal substructure can occasionally show as a faint gray line at the gumline or a slightly less translucent appearance than all-ceramic options.
Lithium Disilicate
The most commonly chosen material for front teeth today, prized for how closely it mimics natural enamel's translucency. Well suited to crowns, premolars, and shorter bridges in the esthetic zone.
Zirconia
The most fracture-resistant of the all-ceramic options, making it a common choice for back teeth and molars that take the brunt of chewing force, including bridges replacing back teeth.
We'll recommend a material based on where the tooth sits in your mouth, how much bite force it needs to withstand, and how visible it is when you smile — not a one-size-fits-all default.
Care From a Team That Knows You
Dr. Boris Zusin is an expert in general, cosmetic, implant, and dental sleep medicine, with 30+ years of clinical experience and ongoing continuing education. Lena Zusin, RDH works alongside him to make every visit as warm and comfortable as possible.
“Drawing upon our combined skills refined through years of experience and continued education, Lena and I will do everything possible to ensure that your entire dental experience at our office is as good as possible.” — Dr. Boris Zusin
- Uncompromising clinical excellence
- Meticulous attention to detail
- A gentle approach to dentistry
FAQ: Crown and Bridges at Zusin Dental, NYC
A porcelain crown is a tooth-shaped cap that restores chewing function, protects the underlying tooth, and mimics the color, translucency, and texture of natural enamel. In New York City, porcelain crowns typically run about $1,200–$2,500 per tooth.
A well-placed porcelain crown lasts 10–15 years on average, sometimes up to 20 years with good oral hygiene, regular cleanings, and avoiding hard foods, ice-chewing, and nail-biting.
- Ceramic/porcelain crowns — natural look, most common today
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal — strong, with a metal substructure
- Gold alloy — durable and gentle on opposing teeth, mainly for back teeth
- Stainless steel — typically for children or temporary use
- Implant-supported crowns — supported by an implant instead of a natural tooth
A bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring an artificial tooth (pontic) to the teeth on either side of the gap. Types include the traditional bridge (two crowns plus a pontic), the Maryland bonded bridge (metal or porcelain wings bonded to neighboring teeth, best for front teeth), the cantilever bridge (one crown, one pontic), and implant-supported bridges.
Implants act as a root replacement, preserve bone, and can last decades, but require adequate bone and good candidacy. Bridges are less expensive up front and restore your smile right away, but typically need replacement every 8–15 years and rely on the supporting teeth.
A traditional bridge in NYC generally costs about $2,500–$6,000. The process is usually two visits over 1–2 weeks: the first to prepare the teeth, scan, and fit a temporary; the second to cement the finished porcelain or zirconia bridge.
Mild tooth sensitivity or gum soreness for a few days is normal. Avoid chewing on a temporary restoration and steer clear of very sticky, chewy, or hard foods once your permanent crown or bridge is in place.
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Real Solutions For Real Patients
A real Zusin Dental crown case, before and after restoration.
A real Zusin Dental crown case, before and after repair of a broken front tooth.
A real Zusin Dental bridge case, before and after restoring a missing tooth.
A real Zusin Dental full-arch crown case, before and after restoration.
A real Zusin Dental crown case, before and after restoration.
A real Zusin Dental full-arch crown case, before and after restoration.
A real Zusin Dental crown case, before and after restoring broken and missing teeth.
A real Zusin Dental patient, before and after repair of a broken front crown.
A real Zusin Dental case: a full set of anterior crowns restoring the smile.
A real Zusin Dental patient with severe wear and broken teeth, before and after provisional crowns re-established her bite.
Sources
- Complications and Survival Rates of Inlays and Onlays vs Complete Coverage Restorations: A Systematic Review and Analysis of Studies — Vagropoulou GI, Klifopoulou GL, Vlahou SG, Hirayama H, Michalakis K, Journal of Oral Rehabilitation (2018)
- Metal-Free Materials for Fixed Prosthodontic Restorations — Poggio CE, Ercoli C, Rispoli L, Maiorana C, Esposito M, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2017)
- Comparison of Survival and Complication Rates of Tooth-Supported Fixed Dental Prostheses (FDPs) and Implant-Supported FDPs and Single Crowns (SCs) — Pjetursson BE, Brägger U, Lang NP, Zwahlen M, Clinical Oral Implants Research (2007)
- A Systematic Review of the Survival and Complication Rates of Resin-Bonded Fixed Dental Prostheses After a Mean Observation Period of at Least 5 Years — Thoma DS, Sailer I, Ioannidis A, et al., Clinical Oral Implants Research (2017)
- What Is the Prevalence of Various Types of Prosthetic Dental Restorations in Europe? — Zitzmann NU, Hagmann E, Weiger R, Clinical Oral Implants Research (2007)
- Treatment Recommendations for Single-Unit Crowns: Findings From the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network — McCracken MS, Louis DR, Litaker MS, et al., Journal of the American Dental Association (2016)
- Outcomes and Complication Rates of the Tooth-Implant-Supported Fixed Prosthesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis — Alsabeeha NH, Atieh MA, International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants (2020)
- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 3-Unit Fixed Dental Prostheses: Are the Results of 2 Abutment Implants Comparable to the Results of 2 Abutment Teeth? — Pol CWP, Raghoebar GM, Kerdijk W, et al., Journal of Oral Rehabilitation (2018)
- Survival and Complication Rates of Tooth- and Implant-Supported Restorations After an Observation Period up to 36 Years — Bischof FM, Mathey AA, Stähli A, Salvi GE, Brägger U, Clinical Oral Implants Research (2024)
- Interdisciplinary Interface Between Fixed Prosthodontics and Periodontics — Abduo J, Lyons KM, Periodontology 2000 (2017)
- Indirect Restorative Systems — A Narrative Review — Bonfante EA, Calamita M, Bergamo ETP, Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry (2023)
- Dentist Material Selection for Single-Unit Crowns: Findings From the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network — Makhija SK, Lawson NC, Gilbert GH, et al., Journal of Dentistry (2016)
- Rubber Dam Isolation for Restorative Treatment in Dental Patients — Miao C, Yang X, Wong MC, et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2021)
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