Crown
A crown, sometimes called a cap, is used to restore a tooth that would otherwise be in danger of breaking. It covers and protects the entire tooth.
If a tooth has a large filling, it is more prone to cracking or breaking. A crown, especially if it has metal in it, will help protect a tooth against breaking. Some people can break back teeth even if they have small fillings or no fillings in the tooth.
Types of Crowns
There are many types of crowns however most used are; porcelain, metal and porcelain fused metal and zirconia. Porcelain fused metal are be stronger near the gum-line than porcelain, however today we can make them out of all porcelain, meaning that they can look very aesthetic and very natural. Zirconia crowns can also look beautiful and very natural.
Zirconia is an extra tough ceramic material, and it can be made extra thin. They have no metal in them, and can be made translucent or opaque, depending on the demands of the situation. If they are bonded onto the teeth, and not just cemented with conventional dental cement, they won’t show a black line at the gum-line years later, the way porcelain fused to metal crowns may sometimes look.
Making & Fitting Your Crown
Once decided on what type of crown to be used, the dentist will use a soft, mouldable material which is used to make a precise impression of your tooth and nearby teeth. Once a height and shape that you are happy with has been confirmed, it is then sent to the dental technician to custom make your crown and a temporary is fitted in its place until your crown arrives back to us. This process usually takes between 2-3weeks. We then fit the crown and make adjustments to ensure that you retain your natural bite.
Benefits of a Crown
A crown is strong and can look and feel exactly like a natural tooth. The colour and shade can be matched to your own teeth. A crown can also last for many years if looked after correctly and not accidentally damaged. Crowns can also improve the appearance of misshapen or discoloured teeth.