A dental crown, often called a “cap,” is a type of restoration that covers your tooth to help protect the tooth underneath. Crowns are designed to look and function like a natural tooth while providing protection, strength, and longevity of your natural tooth.
Every crown is custom made by our local dental lab to fit your tooth and enhance your smile. Crowns can be made out of many types of high-quality materials including porcelain, zirconia, and gold. Your dentist will help determine what type of crown material is best for your restoration and your smile.
The most common reasons that a tooth may need a crown are fractured or broken teeth, very large existing fillings that are failing, replacement of an existing crown, large existing tooth decay, or a combination of these issues. Crowns may also be recommended for teeth that are severely worn down, or to protect a tooth that has had a root canal. Crowns can also be done to improve esthetics or bite issues.
The procedure for getting a tooth prepared for a dental crown is quite painless. The tooth will be numbed with a local anesthetic prior to the procedure being started. Once you are numb, the tooth will be prepared for the crown and any existing decay or old fillings will be removed and replaced with a new build up material that will act as a solid support and attachment structure under the crown. Once the preparation is complete, either a digital impression or a regular impression will be taken of the tooth and a temporary crown will be made. The temporary crown will serve as the place holder while your new crown is custom made by our local dental lab. When your crown is ready, you will return to the office so that we can remove the temporary crown and cement your permanent crown in place.