When you think of dental crowns, you may picture a shiny gold or metallic artificial tooth surrounded by natural teeth. But that’s not quite it!
Dental crowns are custom-made, artificial caps placed over a damaged tooth. Crowns help prevent further damage while restoring a smile’s function and appearance.
Dental crowns are available in several materials, including porcelain, ceramic (or zirconia), metallic (often gold), and porcelain-fused-to-metal, to accommodate people’s unique dental health concerns.
Each type of dental crown has its own benefits. A consultation with your dentist can help determine the right material to support and restore your beautiful smile.
All About Dental Crowns
A dental crown, sometimes called a “cap,” is a hollow, custom-made artificial tooth that covers a damaged or decaying tooth.
It’s a restorative treatment that acts as a protective shield for the tooth’s structure, shape, and overall appearance. Proper care can allow you to enjoy a crown’s benefits for over 10 years.
Dental crowns are an effective solution in cases where the damage to a tooth is too extensive to support a standard filling but not where the damage warrants an extraction. Your dentist may recommend a dental crown in cases of:
- Severe tooth decay
- After a root canal to strengthen the treated tooth
- Broken or cracked teeth
- Worn-down teeth from grinding (bruxism)
- Cosmetic improvements (covering misshaped or discoloured teeth)
Dental crowns are more than a cosmetic fix. Delaying treatment can lead to further damage, worsening oral health, and more costly issues down the line.
Types of Dental Crowns
With proper fitting and thorough care, most people won’t even notice you have a crown! A dental cap is custom-made to match your surrounding teeth’s colour, shape, and size to craft a natural and uniform smile.
However, depending on the material used for the crown, it may look slightly different. Some materials are more affordable, while others offer a more natural look.
Porcelain Crowns
Crowns made from porcelain can offer natural-looking results because they easily mimic the tooth’s natural appearance. Porcelain materials are a popular choice for restoring visibly damaged teeth.
However, porcelain crowns are more prone to chipping. As a result, porcelain crowns aren’t ideal for protecting molars, which experience more grinding and chewing.
CEREC Crowns
CEREC crowns blend the benefits of a natural appearance with functionality. These crowns are made from quality ceramic materials and milled using CAD/CAM technology.
Their unique design means your dentist can complete the entire fitting process in a single visit, whereas other materials require 2 separate sessions. You won’t need a temporary crown between visits, so you can enjoy a fully restored smile faster.
CEREC crowns are precisely fitted to your tooth to help create an accurate bite and a smooth, natural feel. Besides their one-visit convenience, CEREC crowns offer enhanced durability to effectively restore any tooth.
Zirconia Crowns
Zirconia crowns are a type of ceramic dental crown made using zirconium dioxide, a crystal twice as strong as standard porcelain crowns, offering longevity and improved durability.
Despite their strength, zirconia crowns are still smooth and gentle on surrounding teeth, enhancing overall comfort.
Zirconia crowns can support chewing and grinding forces, making them more effective than standard porcelain for restoring molars.
Like CEREC crowns, the durability of zirconia results in improved longevity, reducing the need for frequent replacements to help minimize dental expenses later.
Metal Crowns
Metal crowns are durable and well-adaptable to bites, offering a reliable, long-term option. The crown is typically constructed from metal alloys like gold or nickel.
However, their metallic finish can stand out—making metal crowns more suitable for restoring molars (unless you’d prefer to flash a shiny smile). Metal crowns also require less of the natural tooth to be removed.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns
Porcelain-fused-to-metal is a type of crown that combines materials to enhance its benefits. The metal core provides structural support. The outer layer of porcelain can be colour-matched to blend seamlessly with surrounding teeth, making the blend an aesthetically pleasing option.
The natural tooth-like appearance makes porcelain-fused-to-metal a more attractive option for visible teeth. However, in some cases, the underlying metal may become slightly visible near the gum line over time, creating a noticeable grayish tint in certain lighting conditions.
What to Expect at Your Dental Crown Fitting
Learning about what to expect during your dental treatments can make a big difference in your comfort level, especially if you typically experience unease concerning dental work.
With CEREC crowns, your dentist can do everything in a single day. However, other procedures and certain materials might mean you’ll need to come in for a few appointments spread out over time.
Here's a general idea of what getting a dental crown involves.
Initial Evaluation
During your initial evaluation, your dentist will examine your teeth, take X-rays, and discuss the procedure.
When a tooth is severely decayed or damaged, your dentist may need to perform additional treatments, such as a root canal, before fitting the crown.
Tooth Preparation
Your dentist will shape the damaged tooth to accommodate the crown. For comfort, you’ll likely be given local anesthesia.
Impressions or Digital Scans
Impressions or digital scans are taken to create a mould of the targeted tooth, verifying a proper fitting. If you’re receiving a same-day crown (like CEREC), the digital scan is used to build your crown immediately.
Temporary Crown (If Needed)
Your dentist will place a temporary crown to protect your tooth for traditional crown procedures. Your custom-made permanent crown is crafted in a lab; it’s a process that can take several weeks.
Crown Installation
Once your permanent crown is ready, your dentist will remove the temporary one, check the fit and colour of the new crown, and cement it into place.
Final Adjustments
Any necessary fine-tuning is done to confirm a comfortable bite and natural feel.
Restore Your Smile & Bite
Dental crowns can seamlessly restore beautiful smiles while preserving oral health. Dentists customize crowns to meet your needs, whether you're fixing an aching tooth or refreshing your smile's appearance.
After evaluating your budget, oral health, and targeted concern, your dentist will recommend a dental crown material that’s right for you.
Connect with our de Man & Höediono Dentistry team to schedule an appointment for your initial consultation. With professional care and guidance, you can experience a healthier smile.