A crown is a dental restoration that caps or encircles a tooth’s remaining structure. A crown is treatment planned when a considerable amount of tooth structure has been lost due to a cavity, fracture, and/or root canal therapy. A crown protects the remaining tooth while rebuilding the contours, bite, and esthetics of the natural crown. Crowns can be made from a various amounts of materials. Each tooth is different and may require a certain material.
For example an all porcelain crown is used in the front to obtain superior esthetics while a ziroconium or metal crown may be used in the back to obtain superior strength. Veneers are partial crowns that cover the front portion of teeth.
Veneers are more conservative than crowns requiring less tooth removal. Porcelain veneers can be placed to straighten or close spaces on front teeth enhancing the smile. Bridges are used to replace missing teeth. They are made by fusing three or more crowns together. The teeth adjacent to the missing teeth are used to anchor the bridge.
The crown representing the missing teeth rests gently on the soft tissue. All three restorations mentioned above considered fixed because they are bonded to the teeth with the use of the cement.