Crowns are an ideal way to rebuild teeth which have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. The crown fits right over the remaining part of the tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape and contour of a natural tooth.

Some of the indications for a crown are:

Crowns can be made from different materials which include the full porcelain crown, the porcelain fused-to-metal crown and the all-metal crown. You and your dentist will decide which type is appropriate, depending upon the strength requirements and esthetic concerns of the tooth involved.

Fitting a crown requires at least two appointments. During your first visit, the tooth is prepared for the crown, an impression or mold is made of the tooth, and a temporary crown is placed over the prepared tooth. At the subsequent visit, the temporary crown is removed and the final crown is fitted and adjusted and cemented into place.

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Procedure information

First off, a local anesthesia is injected into the gum of the tooth where the dental crown is to be fitted and the tooth is then cleaned up and any decay is removed using a dental drill fitted with a burr. The dentist will generally grind the tooth down into a taper so that the crown will fit more snugly. Dental putty is pressed over the tooth to make an impression and then sent off to the laboratory so that a new crown can be fabricated. Your dentist will then quickly construct a temporary crown to cover and protect the tooth in question. That will be the end of your first visit as it will take about two weeks for the laboratory to have the permanent crown made.

On your second visit the temporary crown will be removed and the prepared tooth will be cleaned and roughened up using a burr. An etching acid is then applied to the tooth at the same time the hygienist applies the dental cement to your new dental cap. The cap will then be fitted over the prepared tooth and all rough edges smoothed and color matching checked.

Recovery time

The area where you had the work done may ache for a day or so and it may feel strange for a few days until you get used to the new cap. Full strength will be achieved after 24 hours after which you will be able to chew on that tooth. Dental caps require the same level of care as natural teeth and you should brush twice daily for two minutes at a time. After crown work, some people experience a receding gum around the tooth and the dentist will need to fill this in to prevent food getting in the void.

Porcelain Tooth Crowns

In the past, dental crowns were always made with a metal foundation. However, these days, it’s possible to have porcelain tooth crowns or even ones made from ceramic or aesthetic reinforced resin. These provide natural looking teeth. Porcelain crowns are used when teeth are badly broken, or when there are large fillings or a big area of tooth decay that cannot be fixed with a filling. Porcelain crowns are typically used on the front teeth, where appearance is important, while metal ones provide more support in the back.

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Procedure information

People require porcelain tooth crowns for a variety of reasons, from teeth grinding to tooth decay which can cause wear, cracks or breakage of the teeth. The dentist will take an impression of the tooth that needs a crown and then sends it to a dental lab for the crown to be created. Sometimes the patient receives a temporary crown to wear while the permanent one is being made, which takes 1 to 2 weeks. The dentist will reshape the remaining tooth to prepare it for the crown. The permanent crown is then cemented to the tooth with long-lasting cement.

Recovery time

After the procedure to install the porcelain crown, you should avoid eating and drinking for a few hours to let the adhesive set properly. However, there won’t be any pain and the results should be beautiful. Porcelain tooth crowns can last 10 to 15 years. They should be cared for as you would your natural teeth, with regular brushing. The color will change over time if you smoke and/or drink coffee.