Dental
Crowns

A dental crown helps to preserve the remaining structure of the natural tooth. It is always desirable to preserve and protect your natural teeth and prevent potential tooth loss later. Dental crowns are also used to support dental bridges and can also restore individual dental implants.Other times, dental crowns can be fitted purely for cosmetic purposes. For example, a tooth that is too small or peg-shaped, or which isn’t attractive, can be hidden with a dental crown. Teeth crowns are useful for realigning teeth or correcting a person’s bite.

These crowns have a thin, strong substructure or shell made from precious metal alloy. The substructure is covered with porcelain that masks its color. Porcelain fused to metal crowns (PFMs) have been widely used for many decades.PFMs are reliable and provide good results. However, there are more cosmetically appealing materials more suitable for restoring front teeth. A PFM crown can appear slightly opaque because of the way it is constructed. Unlike ceramic crowns, light is prevented from passing through a PFM by the metal substructure.

Another problem is a black line around the margin that can appear after a few years and is due to gum recession. As the gums recede, it exposes the metal edge of the crown. Sometimes a general dentist will overcome this problem by making the crown with a porcelain margin or edge.

All-ceramic or all-porcelain crowns contain no metal and provide exceptional aesthetics. A porcelain crown is ideal when restoring front teeth, creating a natural and beautiful smile. The ceramic material closely replicates tooth enamel, providing a similar degree of translucency. Because the crown is entirely porcelain, light is transmitted right through the restoration, closely resembling the way a real tooth responds to light.A ceramic crown is best used in the front of the mouth or the anterior region. The material used is reasonably strong and long-lasting. One of the best-known makes of ceramic crowns is e.max, but other manufacturers also provide good quality all-ceramic crowns.

Zirconia crowns are also metal-free but are considerably stronger than ceramic crowns. They are an excellent choice for restoring back teeth where space is limited. Zirconia is also good for people with bruxism. The material is very resistant to wear and will not harm the opposing teeth.Some zirconia crowns are made entirely from this material, while others have a zirconia substructure covered with porcelain. The resulting restoration looks natural and life-like. The original zirconia crowns did occasionally cause problems because the material used to be bone white and was difficult to mask entirely with porcelain. Nowadays, zirconia crowns do not have these disadvantages, and the material is often pre-shaded to match your tooth.

A dental crown usually requires two visits to prepare the crown and later to fit it over the tooth.

First Visit

Initially, we numb the tooth before preparing it. During preparation, our dentist carefully removes any signs of decay or infection and shapes the tooth, so it is ready for the dental crown. They must remove enough tooth structure to ensure the crown is thick enough for good strength, durability, and appearance without looking too bulky or unnatural.

After we have prepared the tooth, we take a detailed dental impression and choose the correct shade of porcelain for your new tooth. The information is sent to our dental lab so they can custom-make your crown. We fit a temporary crown over your prepared tooth, which protects it and restores your smile while we make your new crown.

Second Visit

You probably won’t need dental anesthetic during your second visit. We gently remove the temporary crown and fit your new crown in place. Our cosmetic dentist checks its fit and your bite, making any necessary adjustments. You will approve the appearance of the crown before we permanently bond it in place.