Description
If you have a broken or otherwise compromised tooth, you’ll likely be exploring a dental crown as one of your treatment options. As Dr. Timothy M. Kelly describes, we can gently shape the existing tooth to make an ideal fit for your new restoration. The result will look natural, feel natural, and last you for decades to come.
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Crowns are a term used when we apply a material, such as porcelain or gold, over the entire tooth. Patients sometimes refer to them as caps, which was a common term years ago. With today's technology, there are several methods to create a crown.
We first shape the tooth in a specific way. If there’s an old filling or cavity, we clean that up, leaving a healthy tooth before shaping it according to the material we’ll use. After shaping, we can scan the tooth digitally, creating a virtual impression to understand its structure.
The crown can then be fabricated either at a lab or in-house to fit over the tooth and reproduce its correct anatomy. Crowns are commonly done, but creating a good crown requires attention to detail from the dentist, staff, materials, and lab involved.
A well-made crown can last 20, 25, or even 30 years, though some may need replacement after just four or five years. The key to the longevity of crowns—and overall oral health—is regular brushing and flossing to keep the teeth and gums clean.
