A crown is a full protective cover bonded onto a tooth. Crowns are created to feel and look as close to the natural tooth as possible.
Crowns are used when the filling in a tooth is no longer providing adequate protection or function. They are used to protect the underlying tooth from cracking, splitting or chipping away. Crowns are stronger than fillings and can be shaped and coloured more like your own tooth.
Crowns are often recommended for:
Studies have shown quite large variations on the longevity of crowns. Some need to be replaced after 12-15 years: some crowns are replaced less than a year and others remain for 30 years. Crowns are replaced for many reasons: fractures may occur under the crown, decay or gum disease of the tooth under the crown and sometimes event the crown itself will fracture under some stresses. The main reason a crown may fail is the health of the tooth it is bonded to.
There are several options for crowns:
– tooth coloured crowns with a ceramic layer on the surface which allows us to match it to the rest of your teeth
– metal alloy crowns which are not as tooth like in colour but certainly offer a very strong and more forgiving option
– all ceramic crowns which are the most beautiful but not necessarily the strongest option
The choice is largely dependent on how life-like you want the crown to look and how much biting the stress the crown will be under.
A traditional crown covers the entire tooth while a veneer only covers the front surface.
Brush twice a day and floss at least once a day, taking particular care to floss around the crown. You should also have the crown checked as part of your routine dental exam (every 6-12 months)
It varies, however, the typical sequence for a single crown is:
consultation appointment
tooth preparation, impression and temporary crown appointment
insertion and adjustment of crown appointmentExtra appointments may be required due to individual factors.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding with any treatment you may consider seeking a second opinion from an appropriate qualified health practitioner
