A dental crown is a tooth shaped “cap” that is permanently placed over your tooth covering the tooth to restore its shape, strength and improve its appearance. When a tooth is fractured, has a large filling, or is severely damaged by decay, we recommend the placement of a crown. Other reasons why a dental crown may be required;
- Hold together cracked teeth
- Covering dental implants
- Covering discolored teeth or misshapen teeth
- Sealing and strengthening root canal treated teeth
- Restore broken or heavily filled teeth
Options for crown material used can very upon esthetic demands and strength.
1. All Ceramic Crowns are tooth colored and most esthetic option ideal for your front teeth. The tooth structure removal is more substantial due to needing bulk of material for strength of crown. The highly translucent material provides a most natural esthetic appearance.
2. Full Zirconia Crowns are tooth colored and stronger then All Ceramic Crowns. You do give up translucency for strength making the restoration slightly less esthetic. Zirconia crowns are ideal for patients wanting esthetic restoration in heavy bite situations.
2. Porcelain-Fused-to-metal crowns have substructure of gold alloy overlaid by porcelain providing strength and esthetics.
3. Full Gold Crowns are full metal and provide the most strength with minimal tooth preparation. Ideal for high stress areas like the large molars in the back of your mouth.
Process of making crown:
First Visit
- For a brighter smile in some instances teeth are whitened prior crown procedure.
- Mold is made of your tooth for fabrication of temporary crown later in procedure. If a porcelain crown is to be made, a shade photo is taken. This photo is used by the laboratory to fabricate a crown that will match you natural teeth.
- Freezing (local anaesthetic) is given to numb the tooth for comfort of procedure.
- Depending on amount of healthy tooth structure remaining, a post and build-up of your tooth may be required prior to filing down your tooth to make the crown.
- A mold of the filed down tooth is made. This mold is sent to the laboratory for crown fabrication.
- Using the initial mold, a temporary crown is made to fit over your tooth. This temporary crown is a replica of your original tooth.
Second Visit
Once the crown is fabricated at the laboratory:
The dentist takes off the temporary crown. Then he will take the permanent crown and check its fit, bite, shape and color. Once deemed acceptable, the crown is cemented permanently into place. Your tooth will look and work much like your own natural tooth. This process may require freezing.
