Porcelain Crowns &
Porcelain Crown Restoration

Cosmetic Dentistry: Fillings, Veneers, Protect What's Left, Bridges, Inlays or Onlays

A dental crown helps to strengthen a tooth by being a hard outer shell that encases the tooth structure that lies within it. For this reason, dental crowns are routinely made for teeth that have broken, worn excessively or have had large portions destroyed by tooth decay.

A crown will protect a weak tooth from fracturing, restore a fractured tooth, cover a dental implant, cover a discoloured or poorly shaped tooth or cover a tooth that has had a root canal treatment.

Since dental crowns encase the entire visible aspect of the tooth, a dental crown will in effect become the tooth's new outer surface. Well made porcelain crowns should look almost exactly like your own teeth.

Crowns can be made out of porcelain (meaning a dental ceramic), metal (usually gold), or a combination of both. From an aesthetic aspect, all porcelain crowns are the material of choice but this not always possible.

How are crowns made?

The tooth will be reduced in size so that the crown will fit over it properly. After reducing the tooth, we will take an impression to provide an exact copy of the tooth for the technicians who will then make the crown.

A temporary crown will be placed to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent crown is being made. When the new crown is ready, the temporary crown is then removed and the new crown is bonded or in some cases cemented over your prepared tooth.

How long will the crown last?

While crowns should last for a very long time, they are succeptible to the same potential problems as your own teeth. The porcelain of a crown may occasionally fracture and discolour slightly over time (in exactly the same way as a natural tooth would) If the tooth is not kept clean and flossed you can get decay underneath the crown.

The most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your crown is to practice good oral hygiene. Keep your gums and teeth healthy by brushing twice a day and flossing daily. Also make sure you keep your regular 6 monthly hygiene visits.