Crowns Explained

Crowns also known as caps are artificial restorations that fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, thus giving it strength and the shape of a natural tooth.

Benefits

Ideal for teeth that are heavily restored with large fillings.
Improves the appearance (discolored, malformed and misaligned teeth).
Root fillings will usually need a crown for protection as the root filled teeth are prone to breakage and need to be sealed for success.

Options

Crowns can be made of a variety of different materials and new materials are being introduced all the time. Here are some of the most popular options:
Porcelain bonded to precious or non-precious metal: A precious or non precious metal base is made and then porcelain is applied in layers over it.
Porcelain crowns: These crowns are made entirely out of porcelain they can look very natural and are most often used for front teeth.
All-ceramic crowns: This modern material is metal free. It can give the strength of a bonded crown and the appearance of a porcelain crown. This makes it suitable for use in all areas of the mouth.

The Treatment Plan

The teeth to be crowned are prepared which involves reduction of the tooth size (under local anaesthesia), followed by an impression or mould of the prepared tooth. The trimming of the tooth creates a space for the crown to be fitted. The mould is sent to a laboratory where skilled technicians fabricate the crown. In the meanwhile, a temporary crown is made and fitted onto the trimmed tooth.

You will need to have two visits. The first is to have the tooth prepared, the impressions taken, the shade matched and the temporary crown fitted. The second is to fit the permanent crown.
The crown will be made to match your other teeth as closely as possible. The shade of the neighbouring teeth will be recorded, to make sure that the color looks natural and matches the surrounding teeth.