Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance. The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.
Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?
A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:
- To protect a weak tooth from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth.
- To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down.
- To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left.
- To hold a dental bridge in place.
- To cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth.
- To cover a dental implant.
- To make a cosmetic modification.
What Types of Crowns Are Available?
Permanent crowns can be made from stainless steel, all metal (such as gold or another alloy), porcelain-fused-to-metal, all resin, or all ceramic.
- Stainless steel crowns:- This crowns are prefabricated crowns that are used on permanent teeth primarily as a temporary measure. The crown protects the tooth or filling while a permanent crown is made from another material. stainless steel crowns don't require multiple dental visits to put in place and so are more cost- effective than custom-made crowns.
- Metal Crowns:- Metals used in crowns include gold alloy, other alloys (for example, palladium), or a base-metal alloy (for example, nickel or chromium). Compared with other crown types, less tooth structure needs to be removed with metal crowns, and tooth wear to opposing teeth is kept to a minimum. Metal crowns withstand biting and chewing forces well and probably last the longest in terms of wear down. Also, metal crowns rarely chip or break.Metal crowns are a good choice for out-of-sight molars.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal Crowns:- This type of crowns can be color matched to your adjacent teeth. Next to all-ceramic crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look most like normal teeth. These crowns can be a good choice for front or back teeth.
- All-resin dental crowns:- This crowns are less expensive.
- All-ceramic or all-porcelain crowns:- This crowns provide better natural color match and may be more suitable for people with metal allergies. All-ceramic crowns are a good choice for front teeth.
- Temporary Crowns:- Temporary crowns are made of acrylic or stainless steel and can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is constructed by a lab.
- Zirconia or milled crown:- A zirconia crown is a popular type of all-ceramic crown which is worn to improve the appearance of a tooth which has become stained or disfigured over the years. They are durable, easy to wear and long lasting.