Crowns

Teeth are often restored using silver or porcelain fillings. However, when too much of a tooth’s structure is removed to support a filling, a crown or “cap” may be needed. A crown may be needed to:

• Restore a tooth when it is unable to support a large filling
• Attach bridges
• Protect a weak tooth from fracturing or restore fractured teeth
• Cover badly shaped or discolored teeth
• Cover dental implants

A crown essentially covers a tooth to restore it to its natural shape and size. This permanent covering fits over your original tooth to strengthen or improve the appearance of the tooth. Fitting a crown generally requires at least two visits to the dentist’s office.

Porcelain Crowns Back before the days of bonding technology, dental crowns nearly always needed to be made with a metal foundation. Today, we can make them out of pure porcelain or other ceramics. There are still occasions on the back teeth when the durability of a metal foundation in the crown makes it the restoration of choice. But when it shows prominently in your smile, wouldn't you rather have one that looks as natural as possible?