A crown is an artificial restoration that fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth. A crown is sometimes known as a 'cap'.
Crowns are an ideal way to repair teeth that have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. A crown could be used for a number of other reasons, for example:
- you may have a discoloured filling and would like to improve the appearance of the tooth
- you may have had a root filling and need a crown to protect what is left of the tooth
- it may help to hold a bridge or denture firmly in place.
Crowns can be made of a variety of different materials. Some of the most popular options are listed below.
Porcelain: these crowns are made entirely out of porcelain and are not as strong as bonded crowns. But they can look very natural and are most often used for front teeth.
All-ceramic: this modern technique offers a metal-free alternative, which can give the strength of a bonded crown and the appearance of a porcelain crown. Therefore it is suitable for use in all areas of the mouth.
In root-filled teeth it may be necessary to insert a post into the tooth root before placing a crown. A post gives support and helps the crown to stay in place. The surface of the tooth may be removed down to the level of the gum.
A post can be made of prefabricated stainless steel which the dentist can fit directly into the root canal. Or a custom-made post can be constructed by a dental technician to accurately fit the shape of the prepared root canal. The post is placed into the root canal and cemented in position, ready for the crown to be attached.
If a root-filled tooth is not completely broken down, it may be possible for your dentist to build it up again using filling material. This 'core' is then prepared in the same way as a natural tooth and the impressions are taken.
When you and your dentist are happy with the fit and appearance of the new crown, it will be fixed in place with special dental cement or adhesive. The cement forms a seal to hold the crown in place.
If you are considering getting a crown, you might have heard about same-day crowns. A same-day crown means you only need to come in for a single appointment.
This is made possible by a CEREC machine.
CEREC stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Aesthetic Ceramics and it part of the newest developments in digital dentistry technology CAD/CAM. CAD stands for computer aided designing and CAM stands for computer aided manufacturing.
The system combines a milling machine, CAD/CAM programs and 3D imaging which allows dentists to create dental restorations within hours in their practices.
CEREC is a commonly used product, especially with their website stating that every 5 seconds a patient is treated with CEREC around the world.
If your dental examination showed that you will need a crown, your dentist will discuss the option of same-day crowns with you. This means you will only have to come in for a single appointment.
We have listed the steps of an appointment at Kings Langley Dental team below for you:
- Impression Scan
Instead of using impression material and a tray that usually gets inserted into your mouth to take an impression of your upper and lower jaw, CEREC uses a camera scanner. This scanner provides our dentists with precise 3D images of your teeth in their natural colour. - Crown Design
The CEREC software will analyse the scan of your mouth and digitally generate the restoration proposal. This will only take a few minutes which makes the process much faster than sending the impressions to a dental laboratory. - Crown Production
The software submits your crown design to the CEREC milling machine which mills and grinds a solid zirconia blank to cut the unique crown that was designed for you. - Finishing & Insertion
The dentist will sinter and glaze your crown to achieve a long-lasting restoration. Our dentist will insert your crown and you will walk out of the practice with your newly placed restoration.
No. You will have a local anaesthetic and the preparation work should feel no different from a filling. If the tooth does not have a nerve, and a post crown is being prepared, then you may not need a local anaesthetic.
The crown will be made to match your other teeth as closely as possible. The shade of the surrounding teeth will be recorded, to make sure that the colour looks natural and matches those teeth.
It is important to keep the crown just as clean as you would your natural teeth. The crown itself cannot decay, but decay can start where the edge of the crown joins the tooth. Brush last thing at night and at least one other time during the day with a fluoride toothpaste, and clean in between your teeth with ‘interdental' brushes or floss.