Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are hollow, tooth-shaped coverings placed over your natural tooth. There are several reasons why a dental crown might be necessary, both cosmetically and health-wise. If your tooth is damaged or cracked, a dental crown may be placed over it to protect it. Sometimes, dental crowns are placed following procedures such as root canals. They may also be used to anchor dental bridges or to cover implants.

Dental Crown Materials

Dental crowns can be made from several different materials. The most common materials used are ceramic and porcelain because their colour can easily be matched to your teeth. Resin is often used for temporary crowns due to its lower cost and lack of durability. For a more durable option, metals such as gold are used, but typically only for non-visible teeth due to their colour.

The Dental Crown Process

In most cases, creating dental crowns requires two appointments. In the first appointment, an X-ray will be taken of your tooth. If the tooth is missing a significant amount of mass, a filling material may be used to mould the tooth into an appropriate shape. You may also receive a temporary acrylic crown. At your second appointment, an anesthetic is applied and the crown is placed securely onto the tooth.