Dental Crowns – A Cosmetic Solution

Cosmetic Solutions with Dental Crowns

A crown is a type of dental restoration which completely caps or encircles a tooth or dental implant. Crowns are often needed when a large cavity threatens the ongoing health of a tooth. A dental crown is a treatment that strengthens a tooth by covering a chipped, cracked, weak or damaged tooth. The tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth to covering it to restore its size, shape strength, and improve its appearance. The crown, when cemented into place, fully encases the entire visible portion of a tooth above the gum line. Crowns can be made from a number of different materials.

Types of Crowns

All-ceramic crowns are milled out of blocks of solid ceramic to match the shade and color of your tooth. In our office, we are able to make CEREC* crowns – which can be placed in 1 visit for your convenience.

Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns – these are made at a lab, and we will still use this as an option for our patients. This gives the esthetics of a tooth colored tooth, but has the underlying structure made of a precious metal.

Gold/ Precious Metal Full Cast Crowns – these are metal in color – some are silver and some are gold in color. These are long lasting crowns but do not have the esthetics of looking like a natural tooth. They are some what cost prohibitive due to the cost of gold.

Most commonly, dental crowns are a restoration procedure for teeth needing more structural support and long-lasting protection than cavity fillings or inlays. Dental crowns can be used in connection with a variety of procedures in cosmetic dentistry:

• Dental Implants: Dental crowns are used to cap the metal rod implant in place of a missing tooth.
• Dental Bridges: Dental crowns on the teeth adjacent to the bridge serve as anchors for the bridge to clamp onto for support.
• Root Canal Therapy: Dental crowns protect brittle teeth after root canal therapy.