A crown is a restoration that covers, or caps, a tooth to restore it to its natural state. It will strengthen and improve the appearance of a tooth. Crowns are placed for a number of reasons, the most common being to support a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining due to decay or fracture. Crowns are made from a number of different materials from ceramic to gold or metal alloy, your dentist will discuss your options with you and provide his recommendation.
Several steps are involved in crowning a tooth. The dentist will prepare the tooth, removing all decay and creating room for the restorative material. An impression is taken in the mouth and sent to a dental laboratory. Then a temporary crown is placed to seal the tooth and provide function for a few weeks. The laboratory technician at the laboratory creates the crown to our specifications from the impression we sent them and returns it to us. When you come back about three weeks later, we remove the temporary, adjust the final crown as needed, and cement it into place.
It is important to remember that even when your natural teeth are crowned, they are still susceptible to decay. Regular oral hygiene, professional cleanings, and dental exams are still needed.