Dental crowns, also known as “caps,” are custom-designed restorations that preserve the functionality of damaged teeth. Crowns may be used to protect a cracked tooth or broken tooth. There are different types of crowns.

The Procedure
Your tooth will be prepared and the dentist will take an impression to send to a dental laboratory. A temporary crown is made at this visit to temporarily protect the tooth while the dental crown is being made in the dental laboratory. Once completed, the crown is cemented or adhesively bonded at a later visit. It is usually done under local anaesthetic.

Crowns: the uses
Dental crowns can be used to restore damaged teeth. They are also used to restore dental implants once the implant has healed.

Crown types:
The three main types of materials for dental crowns are:
Porcelain-fused-to-metal
All-ceramic (all-porcelain)
Gold
The material selected is determined by the clinical demands at hand; aesthetic demands, strength requirements, material durability and restorative space available.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns.
These are most common. Porcelain metal crowns are strong and provide good, durable, and aesthetic treatment option.
Sometimes after a few years the metal may show when the gums recede. This can be avoided with all porcelain crowns.

All porcelain Crowns.
The predominant material choice for all-ceramic crowns today is either zirconia, or aluminous materials. They provide a metal-free aesthetic option with a number of benefits.
Porcelain crowns can require less tooth reduction and has the advantage of high aesthetic restoration.

Gold Crowns
Gold crowns are good when there is very limited room in the bite for ceramic crowns. For example, patients with strong bites and those with parafunctional habits (such as grinding or clenching) might be better served with a gold crown. Gold crowns tend to last longer and require less preparation than porcelain and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.

Alternatives to dental crowns.
There are some alternatives to dental crowns but this really depends on the individual tooth.
These include:
Porcelain veneers
Inlays / onlays

Need more information on dental crowns.
Call Perfect Smile Spa. Perfect Smile Spa is a cosmetic dental practice that specialises in crowns and all cosmetic dentistry treatment.
If you are considering dental treatment, contact Perfect Smile Spa on 01708 442 114 or email care@perfectsmilespa.co.uk.