Porcelain and Ceramic Crowns
If your tooth is damaged beyond what a filling can repair, a crown (also called a cap) can be used to cover the damage and rebuild that part of your tooth. A crown protects your tooth from further damage. You may need a crown if:
- you have a root canal;
- you have a large filling in a tooth;
- you have a broken tooth; or
- your tooth is badly stained, not the right shape or out of line.
Crowns can be made of different kinds of metals, ceramic or porcelain fused to metal. They are strong and can last many years, if you take good care of them. Brush and floss your crown, just like you clean your natural teeth.
But crowns are not unbreakable and can fracture. To help keep your crowns in good shape, the following is recommended:
- do not bite down on hard objects;
- do not use your teeth to open or cut things;
- wear a protective mouthpiece if you grind or clench your teeth at night
- avoid trauma to your mouth
Here's how a crown is made:
Step 1 Your dentist may make a mold (or an impression) of your tooth to fit a temporary crown. It protects your tooth until the final, permanent crown is ready. Temporary crowns may not have the same shape and color as permanent ones.
Step 2 Your dentist numbs your tooth then reduces enough tooth structure so the crown, once placed, will be the same size as your original tooth.
Step 3 Another mold (or impression) is taken of the prepared tooth, the adjacent, teeth and your bite relationship. Then the temporary crown is placed over your tooth and you are sent on your way.
Step 4 This mold is sent to a dental lab, where your permanent crown is custom-made by hand.
Step 5 On your next visit, your dentist takes off the temporary crown and puts on the permanent one. Then he or she checks to make sure the crown is the right fit, shape and color. If it is, your dentist cements or bonds the crown into place depending on the material used. Your tooth will look and work very much like a natural tooth.
These are the steps dentists most often follow in making a crown, but your tooth may need special treatment before a crown can be placed and it may take more than two visits to complete your treatment.
