Latest update January 18th, 2025 5:02 AM
DENTAL CROWNS
By Dr. Neromini Fagu
A dental crown, also referred to as a “cap”, is used to cover the part of the tooth that lies above the gum-line. The crown is permanently cemented over the existing tooth structure and functions like a natural tooth. A crown can restore
PLACING A CROWN ON A PREMOLAR
the shape, strength and appearance of a tooth that has been compromised due to decay or other dental issues. The following are some situations that may require the use of a crown.
Damaged Tooth
A tooth that has been damaged due to caries, wear, fracture, or broken cusps may be restored using a crown. A severely decayed tooth may not be treatable using filling materials and in such instances a crown may be suggested to restore and strengthen the tooth. A crown offers more protection to the tooth as it will cover the entire tooth and not just the part that has been lost to decay.
Endodontic Therapy
It is usually recommended to crown all teeth that have undergone root canal therapy (endodontic treatment). However, while this is an ideal treatment plan, the cost of dental crowns is usually prohibitive and a filling is sometimes placed instead. Your dentist would discuss the various options and the prognosis of each. Because of the excessive force placed on back teeth, it is advised that crowns are placed on those teeth after root canal therapy to avoid tooth breakage.
Cosmetic and Aesthetic Enhancement
Some patients will opt to have crowns placed on their teeth for esthetic reasons, including reshaping, realigning or whitening of existing teeth. Discoloured teeth and fillings may be restored with crowns. These are mainly done for the front teeth and your dentist will match up the shade of the crown with the colour of your existing teeth.
Dental Bridges
Crowns are needed for patients who require a bridge due to lost tooth or teeth. In order to replace the missing teeth, the bridge needs to be “anchored”. These “anchoring” teeth will need to have crowns placed on them to give the bridge strength and stability. Sadly, perfectly healthy teeth may need to be “filed down” in order to make room for the crowns.
Implants
One option for replacing lost teeth are dental implants. Implants involve the placement of metal screws into the jaws which will act as the “root” of the tooth. The part of the implants that sticks out in the mouth will have to be covered up using a crown.
Many of you James Bond fans might remember the movies Moonraker and The Spy Who Loved Me with the unforgettable character Jaws. One of the things that made Jaws notable was his steel teeth which were similar to crowns. However, the crowns were only for movie magic and they were very uncomfortable for the actor to wear.
Once you decide to have crowns your dentist will discuss the choice of materials available and some of these are as follows:
Metal Alloys
The first types of crown were made of metal alloys and while they were functional they left a lot to be desired when it came to looks. All metal crowns have been in use for over 100 years and are made of base metal (silver) or gold alloys. They offer great strength, are long lasting and friendly to opposing teeth.
Porcelain
The terms Porcelain and Ceramic are sometimes used interchangeably but Porcelain is a type of ceramic. Porcelain crowns look the most natural and best matches the colour of natural teeth. However, they are not as durable as metal or as friendly to other teeth and are also more expensive.
Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM)
PFM crowns offer the best of both worlds – the strength of metal and the look of porcelain. However, if your gums thin out or shrink, the metal may show through creating a dark line.
Resin
Composite crowns are made of the same resin material that is used for fillings. They are natural looking but are more prone to wear from chewing. However, they are not as expensive as porcelain and look much better than metal.
Crowns would generally last a long time if you take good care of them. However, like your natural teeth, you must brush and floss regularly and not subject them to abuse.
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