Crowns

A Crown is a "restoration" that covers a tooth to restore it to its normal shape and size.

A crown provides strength and improves the appearance of the tooth it "covers". It is placed on an individual tooth much like a thimble over your finger. It is a stationary, custom made cover for any tooth that has sustained significant loss of structure.

Reasons for Crowns:

• A crown is needed to protect a tooth that just had a root canal because these teeth tend to become brittle and therefore are more likely to fracture.
• To protect any weak tooth from fracturing.
• To hold a cracked tooth together and seal the tooth from decay.
• Cover discoloured teeth.
• Improve cosmetic appearance.
• To support the replacement tooth/teeth in a bridge.
• Weakened tooth structure due to large fillings.
• Restores and maintains the natural bite.

Teeth with large fillings "flex more" forcing the tooth apart and stress fractures can develop.

Problems caused by biting pressures on a heavily filled tooth may result in :

1. Part of the tooth breaking off
2. Nerve damage causing pain and infection
3. The tooth may split and be impossible to save.

The crown is a protective restoration that covers the biting surface of a tooth to prevent the tooth from flexing.

A crown is like a cast that protects a broken bone, but unlike a broken bone, the crack and weakness in the tooth WILL NEVER HEAL! A crown is the best choice at avoiding further problems and to make the tooth as strong as possible to try to prevent further tooth damage.

• This procedure begins by giving you a local anaesthetic.
• The tooth is prepared for a crown by reducing its size so the crown can fit over the tooth and fit into the space between the teeth on either side of it.
• Records will be taken to determine colour, bite, length and shape of your crown.
• An impression of the teeth and gums is made next. This impression is used to make a stone model of this area.
• This stone model is sent to a laboratory where your crown is hand carved in wax and heated metal is placed where the wax was in the "lost wax" technique to make your individual personal crown. There are many kinds of crowns from stainless steel to fine porcelain to gold.

If the crown is gold a minimum amount of tooth can be shaved off because the gold is strong in thin section. If the crown is tooth coloured ceramic or porcelain more tooth must be shaved to make room.

All porcelain crowns are made by hand layering powdered porcelains which are baked in an oven to fuse the porcelain together just like what is used in fine porcelain dishware.

In areas of high aesthetic demand, the use of castable ceramic crowns can be considered. Often these will give the most life like result, but do not suit every case.

A temporary crown will then be placed over this area to protect your teeth and the gum tissues between dental visits. Sometimes, temporary crowns become loose between visits. If this occurs, please contact us so that it can be replaced. On the second appointment:

• The temporary crown will be removed.
• Your tooth will be fitted with the permanent crown.
• Once the fit and colour is checked, then it will be cemented into place.