A dental crown is a custom-made restoration that is bonded to an existing tooth. Although our teeth contain hard structure of enamel, sometimes it can be damaged by loss of sound tooth from decay, chipping or cracking.
Benefits of Dental Crowns
Crowns have many benefits. They:
- maintain the strength of a heavily filled tooth
- reduce the chance of a tooth cracking from the force of a heavy bite
- improve chewing when a broken-down tooth is restored to original dimensions
- protect the tooth from further damage
- improve the look, shape or alignment of teeth
- cover a tooth that has had root canal therapy
- cover an implant
Options for a new Dental Crown
Dental crowns can be made from different types of materials. Your dentist will assess and discuss which options are best suited for your mouth.
Factors affecting selection include:
- location of the tooth (front or back)
- how much solid tooth structure is left
- grinding habits
- cost
Crowns can be gold, metallic or tooth-coloured. When fitted they feel similar to natural teeth.
What to expect when getting a dental crown?
First visit:
- Your dentist will numb the tooth needing treatment
- The tooth is modified to the correct shape
- The dentist takes a mould of the prepared tooth
- A temporary cap is placed over the tooth to protect it for 2 weeks
Second visit:
- The tooth is numbed again
- Your dentist removes the temporary cap and cleans the tooth
- The new crown is checked and glued onto the tooth
- Your dentist polishes the new crown and adapts it to your bite
Crowns need to be cared for just like natural teeth. We recommend 6-monthly routine dental check-ups and cleaning along with diligent home oral hygiene, to help the crowns last a long time.
