Dental Crown

What's a Dental Crown ?

Also known as a cap, a dental crown is most often a tooth-colored prosthetic designed to cover a damaged tooth in a fixed position. Once inserted, a crown can strengthen the tooth, improving its overall appearance and alignment in the mouth.

What Can I Expect When Getting a Crown ?

Unless there is other dental work involved, you’ll usually visit your dentist twice for your crown.

Why Would I Need a Crown?

You might require a crown for any number of reasons.

Cap a damaged or decayed tooth

Strengthen a filled tooth

Protect a weak tooth

Improve a discolored tooth

Hold a dental bridge in place

Hold together a cracked tooth

Protect a tooth post-root canal

Cap a dental implant

What are Dental Crowns Made Of ?

If you’ve always wanted a golden crown, you might be able to have one – in your mouth. However, not all crown materials are mined. Some are scientifically developed or designed from other natural substances, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the ADA.

Your dentist will advise you on which material – or combination of materials – will work best for you.

Metal Alloy

Pros: Strongest of materials along with gold alloy, doesn’t fracture or wear down teeth, gentle on adjacent teeth, highly resistant to corrosion, requires the least amount of tooth to be removed

Cons: Doesn’t look natural, can be costly

Gold Alloy

Pros: Strongest of materials along with base-metal alloy, doesn’t fracture or wear down teeth, gentle on adjacent teeth

Cons: Costly (copper and other metals mixed into the gold alloy), doesn’t look natural

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM)

Pros: Long-term durability, provides a strong bond to teeth, the metal framework provides strength

Cons: Porcelain prone to chipping, can aggravate adjacent teeth

Ceramic (porcelain crowns)

Pros: Blends best with natural tooth color to restore a front-teeth smile

Cons: Prone to chipping, can aggravate adjacent teeth, susceptible to pressure (such as grinding teeth)

Zirconia crowns

It’s a type of ceramic — or, in more specific terms, a zirconium oxide — that’s stronger than porcelain and some metal alloys, and it gets fewer sharp edges from the normal “wear and tear” that happens over time. Zirconia crowns tend to cause less stress and damage on opposing pieces than their porcelain counterparts.

How Can I Maintain My Crowns?

If your crown becomes loose, falls out or chips, consult your dentist. But with proper dental health maintenance – the same oral hygiene routine you use to keep your teeth healthy – crowns can last a lifetime.

However, the goal is to avoid needing a crown, and you know how to do that. Eat foods your teeth love, floss or clean between your teeth, and brush twice daily, preferably with a toothbrush that cleans your back molars, such as one with bi-level bristles, and, as always, schedule regular checkups with your dentist.