What is Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a custom-fitted "cap" that is placed over a damaged, decayed, or weakened tooth. It is designed to restore the tooth’s shape, size, strength, and overall appearance. Once cemented into place, the crown fully encases the visible portion of the tooth, protecting it from further damage while blending seamlessly with your natural smile.
When Crowns or A Fillings Needed
A dental filling repairs minor decay by plugging a small cavity with composite resin. A dental crown is a protective "cap" that fully covers a severely damaged or weakened tooth. While fillings address small holes, crowns restore structural integrity, preventing further breakage and preserving the tooth’s long-term health.
Why Large Fillings Failed (Composite)
Large fillings often fail because they lack the structural support of a natural tooth. Over time, the remaining thin walls of the tooth can crack under the pressure of chewing. Additionally, large fillings can shrink or expand, creating gaps where bacteria enter, leading to new decay or "leaking."
Why Large Fillings Failed (Amalgam)
An amalgam filling is a durable restorative material made from a mixture of metals, including silver, tin, and copper, bound by mercury. It is used to fill cavities caused by decay. Because it is highly resistant to wear, it has been a dental standard for over a century.
Crown Prep with Core Buildup
A crown prep with core buildup is a restorative process where a damaged tooth is first reinforced with a specialized filling material (the core) to replace missing structure. Once a solid foundation is created, the tooth is reshaped (prepped) to allow a custom crown to fit securely over it.
Single Crown
A single crown is a custom-made restoration designed to cover a single damaged or decayed tooth down to the gumline. Unlike a bridge, which replaces missing teeth, a single crown preserves your natural tooth root by reinforcing its structure, restoring its original shape, and improving its overall appearance.
Post-Operative Instructions for a Temporary Crown
Temporary crown post-operative instructions are essential guidelines to prevent the short-term restoration from dislodging or breaking. By avoiding sticky foods and sliding floss out sideways, you protect the prepared tooth and maintain gum health until the permanent, high-strength crown is ready for final placement.
If You Have A Crown and it doesn't Fit Right
A poorly fitted crown is a restoration that fails to align with your natural bite or seal correctly at the gumline. This creates "high spots" that cause pain when chewing or gaps (micro-leakage) that allow bacteria to seep underneath, leading to sensitivity, jaw discomfort, or secondary tooth decay.
Post-Operative Instructions for a Crown
Post-operative instructions for a crown are essential care steps followed after the final placement of a restoration. These include waiting for anesthesia to wear off before eating, avoiding sticky foods for 24 hours, and monitoring your bite to ensure the crown is properly balanced and comfortable.
Dental Crowns to Restore Strength and Appearance
Crowns are a cosmetic restoration used to strengthen a tooth or improve its shape. They are most often used for teeth that are broken, worn, or partially destroyed by tooth decay.
Crowns are “cemented” onto an existing tooth and fully cover the portion of your tooth above the gum line. In effect, the crown becomes your tooth’s new outer surface. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or both. Porcelain crowns are most often preferred because they mimic the translucency of natural teeth and are very strong.
When Crowns or Onlays Are Needed
Crowns or onlays (partial crowns) are needed when there is insufficient tooth strength to hold a filling. Unlike fillings, which apply the restorative material directly into your mouth, a crown is fabricated away from your mouth.
Your crown is created in a lab from your unique tooth impression, which allows a dental laboratory technician to examine all aspects of your bite and jaw movements. Your crown is then sculpted just for you so your bite and jaw movements function normally once the crown is placed.
