Dental crowns, commonly referred to as ‘dental caps’, perform a number of functions that help to preserve the functionality and strength of natural teeth. This includes preventing infection from entering the pulp area of the tooth, supporting broken or cracked teeth and covering and protecting a tooth with a large filling (often referred to as an ‘embarrassing’ or ‘gummy smile’).

Crowns are often used for restorative purposes but can also be used cosmetically to enhance a patient’s smile. They are especially useful for strengthening weakened teeth, protecting a tooth that has had root canal therapy and holding in place a dental implant.

Dental Crown: What It Is and How It Can Protect Your Teeth

Getting a dental crown generally takes 2 visits to your dentist or prosthodontist. During your first visit they will numb your tooth and trim away some of its outer surface to make space for the crown. They will then take a mould of the trimmed tooth and surrounding teeth, which they will use to create your crown. This can either be a physical impression made with a putty-like material or a digital scan with a handheld scanner.

Your crown may be made from a range of materials including gold, ceramic, porcelain and resin. Porcelain crowns are the most common as they closely resemble your natural teeth in both colour and translucency, making them hard to distinguish from natural tooth structure. Some of our patients opt for monolithic ceramic crowns such as Procera and Empress, which are made through a two-layer system whereby an aluminium oxide core is custom milled on a CAD/CAM machine at the clinic and layered with feldspathic porcelain.…