What are Crowns?

Dental crowns are coverings for teeth which are broken and damaged and need to be restored to the requisite dimensions in order to be able to function as required. They are sometimes known as dental caps because they sit on top of an existing tooth.

Crowns can be used on teeth that have suffered from a significant amount of decay, to the point where there is not much left of the tooth. If you have suffered from an accident where some of a tooth has broken off or it has been severely fractured then a crown might be used to strengthen it. In both of these cases the damage has to be so serious that a conventional filling will not suffice. Sometimes crowns are used in conjunction with fillings though and add extra protection to a tooth which has a large filling in it.

Crowns are sometimes used in the aftermath of root canal treatment if the tooth needs strengthening following the surgery. Crowns are sometimes used for cosmetic reasons too but dentists don’t always recommend them in these cases because often some of the existing tooth has to be shaved off in order for the crown to fit properly. Teeth whitening might be preferable if it is a stained tooth that needs covering, or dental veneers might be offered because they are thinner than crowns and might not require as much of the tooth to be removed.

Modern dental crowns are incredibly realistic thanks to the fact that your dentist can tailor them to suit your unique mouth and ensure that they match the rest of your teeth in terms of colour and texture. Technological advances mean that dental crowns can be fitted in just a single visit to your dentist. CEREC techniques allow your dentist to take a digital x-ray of your mouth, send the data to an online milling machine and receive the crown, ready for fitting in just six minutes.

With the right care, dental crowns should last many years and can be taken care of in the same manner as the rest of your teeth.

If you have severely damaged tooth then you should talk to your dentist about how a dental crown might be able to restore its functionality.