Crowns

Crowns can be made to restore the appearance and/or function of badly broken down teeth or to protect teeth from fracturing, especially root treated ones. They can also be made to restore the colour and contour of worn or discoloured teeth.

The process of making a crown involves placing a good filling or core (if needed) to support the crown, then preparing the tooth into the relevant shape and taking impressions. At this stage the patient wears a temporary crown (usually made out of plastic) until the permanent crown is made by a dental technician.

Crowns for back teeth are usually made in porcelain fused to metal or gold. Front crowns are usually made in porcelain fused to metal, all porcelain or a glass-type material. Modern porcelain is now very strong as well as aesthetic.

The technician makes an exact cast of the prepared tooth from the impressions and uses this to make a precisely custom-made crown usually out of gold and porcelain.

The crown is then tried into the mouth to check the fit, colour and bite. If all is satisfactory, it is cemented permanently onto the prepared tooth.