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A dental crown is an artificial restoration that fits over the remaining part of a tooth, leaving it looking like your natural tooth. A crown is sometimes called a ‘cap’. Crowns are a good way to restore broken, weak or decayed teeth. They are usually made of gold, metal, ceramic or a combination of these materials.
Crowns can hold cracked teeth together and support bridges, they are often used as the final step in root canal treatment. They can also cover discoloured teeth to improve the appearance of your smile.
Preparing a tooth for a crown usually requires two visits to the dentist — the first step involves examining and preparing the tooth.
The dentist will use a scanner to scan the prepared tooth which will be used to custom-make a crown which will fit exactly over the prepared tooth. Depending on the chosen material, a dental crown can be closely matched in shape and colour to the original tooth, making it seamless.
the second visit involves placement of the permanent crown.
The life of a crown will depend on how well it is looked after. Crowns cannot decay, but decay can start at the edge of the crown where it joins the tooth. It is always important to keep this area as clean as your other teeth, or decay could endanger the crown. If looked after properly crowns will last for many years.
Biting can cause tooth fractures, thus root canal treatment raises the long-term risk of fracture under the forces of biting. The force that draws us to a crown or onlay is that it provides an additional layer of protection against bacteria invasion into the root canal system after the end of root canal therapy.
If there is a lot of tooth surface missing or if you’ve had root canal treatment in a front tooth, we prefer to use veneers rather than crowns to improve the aesthetic look of your front teeth. Veneers are far more conservative and need less dental intervention than crowns, but they are also less durable.
Our practice offers a finance option for all specialists and extensive courses of treatment. Interest-free options are available between 6 and 12 months. For more information, click below or call us on 01264 771114.
The surgery has been established for thirty years and is a busy, thriving private practice offering excellent cosmetic and routine dentistry for the whole family. The emphasis of care is on quality and an ethical approach promoting education and prevention. Care for all the generations is a priority and high standards of cross infection control are paramount.