What is a crown?

Crowns are a type of dental restoration which, when cemented into place, fully cup over the portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line. In comparison, fillings are dental restorations that fill in or cover over just a portion of a tooth. Since dental crowns encase the entire visible aspect of a tooth, a dental crown in effect becomes the tooth's new outer surface.

Crowns can be made out of zircon (the strongest and aesthetically the best solution) porcelain (almost as good as zircon) or metal/gold (out of date because of lower quality). Other terms that are used to refer to dental crowns are "dental caps" and "teeth caps."

The Dental Crown Procedure

Typically, the dental crown procedure is completed in two stages. During the first stage, the dentist removes portions of your natural tooth's structure to accommodate the dental crown. Surrounding teeth may also be prepared in this way. An impression is made and sent to the lab, where your dental crown is created in about two weeks. A temporary crown will be in place between visits to ensure the most natural look and feel. When you return to the dentist's office, the temporary crown is removed and your new, custom dental crown is securely bonded in place.