Crowns
Dental Crowns
Broken tooth? Badly decayed tooth? Don’t panic – you probably won’t lose the tooth! We may be able to save your tooth with a dental crown.
What are Dental Crowns?
A crown is a tooth shaped cover that is positioned over an existing damaged tooth to enhance strength and durability and to create a smoother look.
Reasons for Crown Placement
- Reinforce a tooth that is cracked or broken
- Repair a tooth that has an old large filling
- Cover a tooth that is severely decayed
- Reinforce a tooth that has had a root canal
- Encase a dental implant
- Anchor a dental bridge
Crowns strengthen and protect the remaining tooth structure and can improve the appearance of your smile. Types of crowns include the full porcelain crown (ideal for use on the front teeth), the porcelain-fused-to-metal crown and the all-metal crown (ideal for use on the back teeth).
The Dental Crown Procedure
- Before placing the crown on the tooth, the tooth will be shaped to make room for it.
- Then an impression of the tooth and the surrounding teeth is taken.
- A temporary acrylic crown is placed on the tooth.
- When the permanent crown is ready (1-2 weeks normally), the temporary crowns are replaced.
A crown may last up to 40 years.