Dental Crowns
Dental Crowns (or caps)
are dental restorations that are placed over a tooth when conservative restorations are insufficient to restore form and function. There are a number of reasons why you may need a dental crown to strengthen a tooth. Everything from large, old silver fillings; cracks or fractures within the tooth, exposed and worn tooth structure caused by grinding, previous root canal treatment, new cavities, or even biting trauma can lead to significant flaws in the tooth surface. When a large portion of the tooth is affected a full coverage crown can protect and repair the tooth.
In the past, the only durable, long-term crowns were made from a metal foundation with porcelain layered on top of the metal (called porcelain fused to metal crowns—or PFMs for short). This often resulted in an unattractive line at the gumline, or the crown just didn’t look like a real tooth.
Today, we can artfully design tooth crowns that match the color and shape of your teeth. Crowns are made of solid porcelain or other ceramics and then are bonded to the remaining tooth structure. These new crowns are stronger than PFM and can be sculpted to recreate the natural function and replicate the natural look of the tooth. Some metal-free crowns also incorporate stress-bearing materials to enhance their strength and wear-resistance.
The strongest crowns available today are made from zirconia porcelain. They are the most durable porcelain crowns ever created and will protect your tooth for a lifetime.
