Crowns
Overview
A dental crown restores a tooth's shape, size, and strength. It fully encases the visible portion of your tooth. Once it is permanently cemented in place, only a dentist or specialist can remove it.
With proper care and good oral hygiene, the life of a crown can range from five to fifteen years. If you are a candidate for a natural tooth colored tooth, our CEREC® CAD/CAM treatment gives patients a completed permanent crown in just one office visit. Other types of crowns require two office visits.
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When Prescribed
A crown may be prescribed by your Dentist to:
- Restore and protect a tooth that is worn, decayed, cracked, or broken
- Protect and support a tooth after a very large filling or root canal treatment
- Support a dental bridge
Crown Types
Your Dentist will recommend the best type of crown for your dental restoration needs based on the chewing placement and structure of the tooth. We mainly use two types of crowns. Both types offer its own characteristics and qualities:
Tooth Colored Crowns
Porcelain is attractive, strong, stable, and highly resistant to wear.
A porcelain crown provides the best natural color match to the rest of your teeth and is an excellent choice for front teeth. The aesthetic quality of a porcelain crown requires that the Dentist be highly skilled in the use of CEREC CAD/CAM technology.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel offers strength and endurance. A metal crown may be recommended for back teeth where the forces of biting and chewing are the greatest. A metal crown rarely chips or breaks. In addition, it requires minimal removal of tooth structure.
Patient Experience
After a thorough exam of your teeth, gums and supporting bone structure, your Dentist will discuss treatment options with you and answer your questions. If the agreed upon-treatment is a dental crown, your Dentist will apply a local anesthetic to prepare your tooth.