A damaged, weakened or heavily restored tooth does not always need to be removed. In many cases, a dental crown can protect the remaining tooth structure, restore normal function and improve the appearance of your smile.
At Dental Nook, dental crowns may be recommended when a filling alone is no longer enough to provide adequate strength or protection. This guide explains what dental crowns are, why they are used, how the procedure works, the different materials available and what you can expect from your crown over time.
A dental crown is a custom-made, tooth-shaped restoration designed to fit over an existing tooth.
Once placed, the crown covers the visible portion of the tooth above the gum line. It can restore the tooth’s shape, size, strength and appearance while allowing you to bite and chew more comfortably.
Crowns are individually designed so that they fit appropriately alongside your surrounding teeth. Depending on the material selected, they can also be colour-matched to create a natural-looking result.
Dental crowns can serve both restorative and cosmetic purposes. The main goal is usually to protect a compromised tooth while restoring its strength and function.
There are several situations where a dental crown may be recommended.
Traditional dental crown treatment commonly involves two appointments, although the exact process can vary according to the tooth, crown material and technology being used.
Before a permanent crown can be fitted, the natural tooth must first be prepared.
Your first dental crown appointment may involve:
The amount of natural tooth that needs to be removed depends partly on the type of crown being used.
If there is not enough healthy tooth structure remaining to support the restoration, a suitable filling or core material may first be used to rebuild the tooth.
Once the tooth has been prepared, an impression or digital scan is taken. This provides the information required to create a crown that accurately fits your tooth and bite.
With a traditional laboratory-made crown, the information is sent to a dental laboratory. Manufacturing may take approximately two to three weeks.
A temporary crown is generally fitted over the prepared tooth while the permanent restoration is being made.
At your next appointment, the temporary crown is removed.
Before permanently fitting the new crown, the dental team will assess factors such as:
Once everything is satisfactory, the permanent crown is securely cemented or bonded into position.
Modern CAD/CAM technology can allow certain dental crowns to be designed and manufactured during a single appointment.
Rather than taking a conventional impression and sending it to an external laboratory, the prepared tooth can be digitally scanned.
Specialised software uses this scan to create a virtual three-dimensional design of the crown. The restoration can then be milled from an appropriate ceramic block using an in-house milling system such as CEREC, where available.
The finished crown is checked for fit, bite, shape and appearance before being bonded to the prepared tooth.
Depending on the case, same-day crowns can offer several advantages:
Same-day crowns are not necessarily the best choice for every tooth. The appropriate option depends on the tooth being treated, the material required, your bite and your individual treatment needs.
There is no single crown material that is ideal for every patient.
Dental crowns can be made from metal alloys, ceramics, porcelain combined with metal, stainless steel, resin and other restorative materials.
Each option has advantages and limitations involving appearance, durability, cost, tooth preparation and where in the mouth the crown will be positioned.
All-metal crowns are made from dental metal alloys. Depending on the restoration, these alloys may contain metals such as gold, palladium, chromium or nickel.
Metal crowns are known for their strength and durability. Because metal can remain strong even when relatively thin, less tooth reduction may sometimes be required compared with certain other crown materials.
Their major disadvantage is appearance. The metallic colour means they generally do not resemble natural teeth, so they are more commonly considered for less visible posterior teeth.
The most obvious disadvantage is their metallic appearance, making them less suitable when aesthetics are a priority.
The term “metal crown” does not necessarily mean that the restoration is manufactured from one pure metal.
Dental restorations generally use alloys, which combine multiple metallic elements to achieve the strength, corrosion resistance and other properties required for use inside the mouth.
Dental alloys can broadly be categorised as:
High noble alloys: These contain a high proportion of noble metals, such as gold, platinum or palladium.
Noble alloys: These contain a lower proportion of noble metals than high noble alloys.
Base-metal or non-noble alloys: These primarily contain non-noble metals and generally cost less than alloys containing larger amounts of precious metals.
The specific alloy selected depends on the clinical requirements of the restoration.
Ceramic crowns are made without a metal base. Porcelain is one type of ceramic material commonly associated with dental restorations.
One of the main advantages of ceramic crowns is their appearance. They can be designed to closely resemble the colour and characteristics of natural teeth, making them particularly useful in visible areas of the smile.
They can also provide a metal-free restoration for suitable patients.
Different ceramic materials have different strength characteristics. Some may require more tooth preparation than metal restorations, and material selection should take into account the patient’s bite, tooth position and teeth-grinding habits.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, commonly called PFM crowns, combine a metal substructure with an outer porcelain layer.
The internal metal component provides strength, while the porcelain exterior is designed to create a more tooth-like appearance.
PFM crowns have been widely used for many years and may be considered for both front and back teeth.
In some cases, the underlying metal may become visible as a darker line near the gum margin.
The porcelain outer layer can also chip or fracture. Depending on the patient’s bite and habits, porcelain may cause wear to the opposing teeth.
Stainless steel crowns are frequently used in children’s dentistry to protect badly damaged or decayed primary teeth.
The crown covers the prepared baby tooth and remains in position until the tooth naturally falls out and is replaced by the permanent tooth.
For adults, stainless steel crowns may sometimes be used as temporary restorations while a permanent crown is being manufactured.
They are durable and relatively economical, although they do not provide the natural appearance of tooth-coloured crowns.
Resin or composite resin crowns can be used as temporary restorations while a permanent crown is being prepared.
They offer a tooth-coloured, metal-free temporary option and can generally be manufactured relatively economically.
However, resin does not normally provide the same long-term strength and wear resistance as materials designed for permanent crowns. Resin crowns can wear, chip or fracture under regular biting and chewing forces.
For this reason, they are commonly used as temporary rather than long-term restorations.
When appropriately recommended and maintained, dental crowns can provide several benefits:
The suitability of a crown depends on the condition of the tooth and should be determined following a dental examination.
Dental crowns are designed to be durable, but they are not permanent.
Many crowns remain functional for well over a decade, and some can last 15 to 20 years or longer. However, lifespan varies considerably depending on the crown material, tooth condition, bite, oral hygiene and lifestyle habits.
You can help protect your crown by avoiding behaviours such as:
Regular dental examinations are also important because they allow the condition of both the crown and the underlying tooth to be monitored.
A crown itself does not usually require a complicated maintenance routine. However, the natural tooth underneath it can still develop dental problems.
Decay can occur around the edge of a crown, and gum disease can affect the tissues surrounding a crowned tooth.
Good oral hygiene therefore remains essential.
You should:
Crowns made from certain materials can also chip or fracture, so avoiding unnecessary pressure on the restoration is important.
Yes.
A crown covers the visible part of a tooth, but it does not make the underlying natural tooth immune to decay.
Plaque can accumulate around the margin where the crown meets the tooth. If this area is not kept clean, decay may develop underneath or around the restoration.
This is one reason why maintaining good oral hygiene remains important even after receiving a crown.
The answer depends partly on the material used.
Some crown materials are more stain-resistant than others, while surface staining may develop over time.
The natural teeth surrounding the crown can also change colour, potentially making the crown appear different even if the restoration itself has not significantly changed.
Generally, no.
Conventional teeth-whitening treatments are designed to lighten natural tooth enamel. They do not whiten dental crowns in the same way.
This becomes particularly important if you are considering both teeth whitening and a new crown.
Where appropriate, whitening may be completed before the final crown colour is selected so that the restoration can be matched to your desired tooth shade.
If you already have a crown and whiten the surrounding natural teeth, the crown may remain its original shade.
A dental crown is not necessarily the only treatment available.
The appropriate alternative depends heavily on how much healthy tooth structure remains, the location of the tooth, the extent of damage and your overall oral health.
Possible alternatives may include:
Saving the natural tooth is generally considered whenever it is predictable and clinically appropriate. However, severely compromised teeth may require a different treatment approach.
There is no single crown material that is best for everyone.
A crown suitable for a highly visible front tooth may not necessarily be the ideal choice for a back molar exposed to significant chewing forces.
Factors that should be considered include:
A dental assessment is the best way to determine which restoration is appropriate for your individual situation.
If you have a cracked, heavily filled, weakened, worn or damaged tooth, a dental crown may help protect the remaining tooth while restoring its appearance and function.
At Dental Nook, your tooth can be assessed to determine whether a crown is appropriate or whether another restorative treatment would provide a better outcome.
If you are considering a dental crown or would like professional advice about a damaged tooth, contact Dental Nook to arrange a consultation.
Call Dental Nook on (07) 3124 0248 to discuss your treatment options or book an appointment.
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