What is a crown?

A crown can help restore and protect a tooth that is worn, decayed, cracked, or broken. It can also support a tooth after a very large filling or root canal. Or it can help hold a dental bridge or even cover a dental implant.

What Types of Crowns Are There?

There are three common types of crowns. Depending on the structure of the tooth and placement, a dentist will recommend the best type of crowns to meet your needs.

• Full Porcelain
  • This type provides the best natural color match to the rest of your teeth. It is strong, stable, and highly resistant to wear. It is an excellent choice for front teeth.
• Full Metal
  • This type of crown are commonly recommended for back teeth due to the forces of biting and chewing. A metal crown rarely chips or breaks and offers strength and endurance. A gold or other high-noble metal crown offers bio-compatibility, which will prevent allergic reactions or gum line discoloration. These are often but not always, the least expensive type of crowns.
• Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal
  • Although this type of crown combines the benefits of a natural surface color that resembles the rest of your teeth and the strength of a metal, it requires the removal of more tooth structure than other types. This may mean greater potential of patient discomfort during treatment.

With proper care, your new crown will increase your overall health and instill confidence for years to come!

Why might a Dentist Prescribe it?

A dentist might prescribe a crown to restore and protect a tooth that is worn, decayed, cracked, or broken. A crown might also be done to protect and support a tooth after a very large filling, root canal treatment, or other dental implant. Hold a dental bridge or other prosthetic device in place. It may also be done for cosmetic purposes such as covering a misshapen or severely discolored tooth.