A crown, also known as a cap, is a tooth-shaped covering that is placed over a tooth to protect and keep badly decayed or fractured teeth or to cosmetically improve the natural appearance of teeth.

The Problem

The Solution

The Procedure

Advantages

Disadvantages

Alternatives

The Problem:

Badly decayed teeth
Fractured teeth
Sensitive Teeth
Weak teeth, need to protect and strengthen teeth especially after root canal or a tooth that cannot be filled again
Unpleasant natural appearance of teeth: malformed, malpositioned or discolored teeth

The Solution:

Place a crown on the tooth to cover it and restore it to its original shape and size. There are 3 types of dental crowns:

1) Porcelain Crown: matches the shade and shape of the tooth more than any other type of crown, virtually undetectable. It is not as strong as Porcelain Fused to Metal. It is ideal for front teeth.

2) Metal Crown: less tooth structure needs to be removed; adjacent tooth wear is kept to a minimum. The main disadvantage is the color of the metal.

3) Porcelain Fused to Metal (PMF) Crowns: are stronger than Porcelain crowns and it matches the shade of the adjacent teeth. It is ideal for back teeth and can also be used for front teeth.

You and your dentist will decide which type is appropriate depending upon the strength requirements and esthetic concerns of the tooth involved.

The Procedure:

Decay is removed and cleaned from the tooth, and then the tooth is reshaped to accommodate the crown. A highly accurate impression or mold is made of the prepared surface, and then a temporary crown is placed over the prepared tooth. This mold is used to create a model of the tooth, which is then sent to a special laboratory that will create a crown. The crown is then cemented onto the prepared surface of the tooth.

Advantages:

A crown strengthens and protects the remaining tooth structure and can improve your overall smile; it is very durable. A crown should be placed before the tooth is so decayed that it may fracture. The different types of crowns make it possible to use crowns in both restorative and cosmetic procedures.

Disadvantages:

Crowns are excellent restorations and have few disadvantages. They are highly durable, but they will eventually need to be re-cemented or replaced due to normal wear. For front teeth it requires more tooth structure to be removed than veneers.

Alternatives:

The best alternatives to a crown are bridges and implants that replace the missing tooth in case the tooth is so decayed or fractured that it needs to be removed.