What are Crowns?

How is it done?

Crowns are used as a method of repairing teeth. Sometimes teeth can be weak due to decay or fragile due to a current large filling. Crowns can also be used to improve the appearance of a tooth that is discoloured through staining and to protect a tooth that has been root filled. X-rays are first taken to ensure there is no infection present before the tooth is prepared for the crown, however sometimes, unfortunately the tooth requires further treatment such as a root filling after a new crown has been fitted, this is sometimes unpredictable as teeth occasionally become symptomatic.

Once the tooth has been prepared a number of impressions are taken so that the dental technician can construct a handmade restoration to fit over the tooth. This process takes approximately 2weeks therefore following the impression a chair side temporary crown is placed to protect your tooth while the crown is being hand crafted.

What are the benefits?

There are a number of materials that can be used for crown construction. They can be constructed from purely porcelain. This is made entirely out of porcelain and is very aesthetic. They are a very natural looking and a popular option for front teeth. When a crown is made out of porcelain and bonded to metal, (porcelain bonded crown) a thin layer of porcelain covers a metal inner layer. These are generally much stronger than a porcelain crown but may not be as aesthetically pleasing and are often used to restore back teeth. A ceramic crown can also be constructed nowadays from a pressable ceramic. With all crowns there is need to maintain excellent oral hygiene, especially around the margins, however crowns are a way of prolonging the life span of a heavily restored or fractured tooth.