Dental crowns can restore and protect damaged teeth, improve aesthetics and increase structural stability. This treatment is a vital component of comprehensive dental care plans. They can hold together cracked teeth, cover and support dental implants, repair teeth after root canal therapy, and anchor dental bridges. They can even help reduce sensitivity and prevent further damage to untreated teeth.

The process of getting a dental crown can take 1 or 2 visits to your dentist or prosthodontist. First, your dentist will prepare the tooth (using a local anesthetic) by removing a small amount of the outer surface to make room for the crown. They will then use a scanner or digital impression to get an accurate copy of the shape and size of your tooth.

Dental Crowns: Protecting and Restoring Damaged Teeth

Traditionally, crowns have been made with a metal core and porcelain. These crowns are strong, durable and look very natural, but they require a minimum thickness of 1.5-2mm to be safe. This often results in excessive removal of natural tooth structure.

Modern ceramics, including zirconia, are much stronger and safer than the old-fashioned metal materials. This allows us to make the crowns thinner, saving healthy natural tooth structure. However, they tend to be opaque and lack the translucent beauty of natural teeth.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns overcome this by blending a ceramic layer on top of the zirconia core. This can be customized to match the shade and translucency of your natural teeth. The skill of the dentist and laboratory technologist in designing this type of restoration is critical to achieving the best possible treatment outcome.