Crowns

You may need a crown if you

• have worn fillings
• cracked a tooth
• have a failing crown
• have a large cavity
• after root canal treatment

A crown will strengthen and protect a tooth whereas a filling doesn’t. You have a choice of materials when you have a crown:

• Porcelain (white) crowns, offers great cosmetics and a natural look
• Gold for maximum strength (usually for back teeth)

Your dentist will discuss the options in your case.

What does the procedure involve?

• There are 2 visits – one for preparation and one for fitting; the preparation visit is the longer one
• The treatment is done under a local anaesthetic and is painless
• The tooth to be crowned is shaped at the prep visit
• An impression is taken and a temporary crown provided which covers up the tooth
• The impression is used by the lab to make a plaster model
• The final crown is constructed on the plaster model
• The final crown is fitted at the shorter fitting visit, usually 2 weeks after prep

The animation below shows the procedure to attach a crown to a broken front tooth: