Crowns
Dental crowns are useful if a tooth is badly broken down as a result of decay or trauma and it isn’t possible to build it up again using a filling. In this case it may be better to restore the tooth using a crown.
Crowns are slotted over troublesome teeth, effectively masking unsightly problems. A crown is an artificial tooth that is normally made partly or wholly from porcelain and attached to the remnants of your natural one. Teeth that are severely discoloured or out of position can also be improved by crowning.
Your crown will be carefully crafted by our technicians, who have many years experience in the art of dental ceramics and access to the most technologically advanced materials available. This enables them to achieve beautiful results for you, with long-lasting crowns so natural even the experts have trouble telling the difference!
What problems can crowns solve?
- Broken teeth
- Decayed teeth
- Discoloured fillings
- Large fillings
- Root filled teeth
What does treatment for a crown involve?
We will make sure your tooth is the ideal base for a crown by removing a layer of the outer surface (the same thickness as the potential crown) but leave a strong core.
Once shaped, we will take moulds of the prepared tooth, the opposite jaw and possibly one of your ‘bite’. We will also note the shade of your teeth to provide the technician with as much information as possible in order to create a crown that will blend beautifully with your teeth.
In root filled teeth, it may be necessary to insert a post into the root to support the crown and help it stay in place.
You will have a temporary crown fitted between appointments to protect your tooth until your shiny new crown is ready.
Does it hurt?
A local anaesthetic will mean that having a crown fitted should feel pretty much like having a filling. If the tooth does not have a nerve, and a post crown is being prepared, then you may not even need a local anaesthetic.
Crown care tips
A crown is resistant to decay but problems can start where the crown joins the tooth so remember to brush at least twice a day, especially last thing at night and don’t be a stranger to floss