Dental Crowns

WHAT IS A CROWN

Crowns are restorations that may cover some or all surfaces of a damaged, discoloured or unaesthetic tooth, and usually last between 10-20 years depending on how well the tooth is maintained. They are made out of either a metal alloy, porcelain, or a combination of both, and generally require two appointments to complete.

These restorations are moderate-highly priced, but often have a greater longevity than other materials. The two most common functions of crowns are to decrease the chance of a tooth fracturing, especially if it has had previous decay, or has had root canal treatment, as well as to significantly improve the aesthetics of existing tooth, especially if it is dark, discoloured, or damaged.

PROCEDURE

The length of the procedure involved for dental crowns largely depends on how difficult the situation may be. On average, one hour is required for your dentist to prepare the tooth for the crown and to ultimately take an accurate mould. This mould is sent to a dental technician, who fabricates the crown out of either a metal alloy, porcelain or a combination of both. In the meantime, a temporary crown is placed on the tooth so you can use your tooth as per normal. The second visit involves your dentist cementing the finished crown permanently. This may take around 30 minutes.

Your dentist will explain important instructions on how to maintain the crown, as the most common cause of failure is recurrent decay (the tooth getting decay around the crown). Once it is at this stage, it is very difficult to repair.