A crown is a restoration that fits over part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth. Sometimes a crown is sometimes known as a ‘cap’.

Why would I need a crown?

shutterstock_104331464 Crowns are an ideal way to restore teeth that have been badly broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. A crown could be used for a number of other reasons, for example:

A crown can cover a discoloured filling and improve the appearance of the tooth.
A crown can protect a a root filled tooth which may need a crown to protect what is left of the tooth.

What is a crown made of?

Crowns can be made of a variety of materials and new materials are being introduced all the time. At 44 Dental care we provide a wide variety of crowns for your individual needs. Here are some of the most popular options:

Porcelain bonded to precious or non-precious metal: this is what most crowns are made from. A metal base is made and then porcelain is applied in layers over it. These crowns are very strong and have been used for many years.

Porcelain crowns: these crowns are made entirely out of porcelain and are not as strong as bonded crowns, but they can look very natural and are most often used for front teeth.

All-ceramic crowns: this modern material is metal free. It can give the strength of a bonded crown and the appearance of a porcelain crown. This makes it suitable for use in all areas of the mouth. At 44 Dental care we use crowns such as IPS emax which look very natural.

Gold crowns: gold is one of the oldest filling materials. Today it is used with other metals to increase its strength, which makes it a very hard-wearing restoration. These crowns are silver or gold in colour.

How is a crown prepared?

We will prepare the tooth so it is the ideal shape for the crown. This will involve removing most of the outer surface, and leaving a strong inner core. Once the tooth is shaped, the dentist will take an impression (mould) of the upper and lower teeth.

The impressions will then be given to the dental technician, along with details of the shade to use.

What is a post crown?

Sometimes we may have to insert a post before placing a crown. A post provides support and helps the crown stay in place. These can be placed into teeth which have been root filled.

We use very strong stainless steel posts which the we can fit directly into the root canal. The post is placed into the root canal and cemented in position, ready for the crown to be attached.

What will happen between visits?

Between visits we will fit a temporary crown so that you can use the tooth while you wait for the crown to be made. It usually takes 2 weeks to get the crown back from the laboratory to be fitted.

How is the crown fitted?

We will first try the crown in and make sure you are happy with the way it looks and feels. It will then be fixed in place with special dental cement. The cement forms a strong bond to hold the crown in place.

Will the crown be noticeable?

When we take impressions of your teeth we also record the shade of the neighbouring teeth to make sure that the colour looks natural and matches the surrounding teeth. The crown is made to match the other teeth as closely as possible.

How long will the crown last?

A well looked after crown can last for many years. But decay can start where the edge of the crown joins the tooth. Therefore, to prevent decay affecting the crown, it is important to keep this area clean by regular brushing and flossing.