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Crowns are ideal way to rebuild teeth which have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. The crown fits right over the remaining part of the tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape and contour of a natural tooth. People sometimes refer to crowns as 'caps'.
There are a number of reasons. For instance:
the tooth may have been weakened by having a very large filling.
you may have discoloured fillings and would like to improve the appearance of the tooth.
you may have had a root filling which will need a crown to protect it.
you may have had an accident and damaged the tooth.
it may help hold a bridge or denture firmly in place.
If you think that you might need a crown, please feel free to arrange an appointment and discuss your needs with one of our dentists.
Crowns are made of a variety of materials and new materials are being introduced all the time. At Gentle Dental Care we offer the following options.
Porcelain bonded to precious metal: These crowns are made up of a metal base with porcelain fused or bonded to its surface. It is considered to be a robust crown although occasionally small pieces of porcelain my chip away from the underlying metal. Another disadvantage is that the crown is thicker which means that the dentist has to remove more tooth substance during the preparation.
Ceramic crowns- E-max and Zirconia: These cosmetic crowns are made purely from ceramic and no other material. They are made from a translucent material which means that they look very natural and blend in well with your natural teeth. Because these crowns are thinner it means that less tooth substance needs to be removed. These crowns are still very strong and your dentist will advise you as to which type of ceramic crown would be most suitable for your mouth.
Precious metal (gold and palladium): these crowns are very strong and hard-wearing, but are not usually used at the front of the mouth, where they are highly visible.
The dentist will prepare the tooth to the ideal shape for the crown. This will mean removing some of the outer surface, leaving a strong inner ‘core’. The amount of the tooth removed will be the same as the thickness of the crown to be fitted.
Once the tooth is shaped, the dentist will take an impression of the prepared tooth, one of the opposite jaw and possibly another to mark the way you bite together. The impressions will be given to the technician, along with any other information they need to make the crown. This may sometimes involve taking photographs to ensure an acurate colour match.
The impressions and information about the shade of your teeth will be given to a dental technician. They will make models of your mouth and make the crown on these to be sure that the crown fits perfectly. Here at Gentle Dental Care we use a small family owned laboratory based in Carlisle who produce work of the highest quality. They deal with low volumes and only work with a small number of dentists.
No the crown will not be obvious and every attempt will be made to match your other teeth. Sometimes photographs are taken to ensure the laboratory technician creates the best possible match. In rare circumstances the patient is advised to meet with the technician in order to get the ideal result.
A temporary crown, usually made in plastic, will be fitted at the end of the first appointment to last until the permanent one is ready. These temporary crowns may be more noticeable, but they are only in place for about two weeks.
You will need to have at least two visits: the first for the preparation, impression, shade taking and fitting the temporary crown, and the second to fit the permanent crown.
No. A local anaesthetic is used and the preparation should feel no different from a filling. If the tooth does not have a nerve, and a post crown is being prepared, then local anaesthetic may not be needed.
Post crowns may be used when the tooth has been root filled and there isn’t enough tooth above the gum to hold a crown. Depending on the amount of tooth remaining, the dentist can either use a pre-fabricated post or one constructed by a dental technician.
The post will sit above the gum and provide enough substance for a crown to adhere to. The success rates for post crowns are not as high as for a conventional crown but in some cases the only other alternative would be to remove the tooth and consider a dental implant.
The life of a crown will depend on how well it is looked after. The crown itself cannot decay, but decay can start where the edge of the crown joins the tooth. It is very important to keep this area as clean as your other teeth, or decay could endanger the crown. Here at Gentle Dental Care in St. Andrews we would only usually recommend crowns if your risk of tooth decay has been reduced.
Once the fit and appearance of the crown has been checked – and approved by you – it will be cemented in place with special dental adhesive. The adhesive also forms a seal to help hold it firmly in place.
Because the shape of the crown will be slightly different from the shape of your tooth before it was crowned, you may be aware of it to begin with. Within a few days it should feel fine, and you will not notice it. Sometimes the crown may feel slightly high in the bite. Usually this will resolve within 10 days and the crown will need no adjustment. If it still does not feel right after this time has elapsed then please ask your dentist to check and adjust it.
A veneer at the front of your mouth may be an alternative to having a crown if the tooth has only a small filling. Your dentist will advise you of any suitable alternatives. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
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