A crown is a tooth-shaped cover placed over a tooth that is badly damaged or decayed. A crown is made to look like your tooth. Many people call it a cap.
Crowns may be placed for several reasons. Usually the tooth has been broken or damaged a great deal by decay. As a result, a filling can’t replace enough of the tooth or make the tooth strong enough. A crown may hold together parts of a cracked tooth. It also can be used to hold a bridge in place. Crowns can be used to improve appearance as well. They may be placed to cover misshapen or badly discolored teeth.
Crowns can be made ahead of time (prefabricated) or made to order in a laboratory. Prefabricated crowns are made of plastic or stainless steel. They can be used on a temporary basis until a permanent crown is made.
Crowns can be all metal, porcelain fused to metal (PFM), or all ceramic. Metals include gold alloy, other alloys (palladium) or a base-metal alloy. The all-metal or PFM crowns are stronger and are better choices for back teeth than ceramic crowns. PFM and all-ceramic crowns are the same color as your natural teeth. They look just like normal teeth.
If you have damaged or broken teeth unsuitable for a direct placement filling, then a crown or bridge is required to restore your teeth to their absolute best.
In some cases, you may also need endodontic or root canal treatment on the tooth. Such treatment may be recommended if you have a lot of decay in the tooth or a risk of infection or injury to the tooth’s pulp. Not everyone who needs a crown will also need a root canal.
Our dentist can use select materials, such as custom shaded porcelain, to restore your teeth to their original quality, giving you the confidence to smile again.