Dental Crowns

Dental Crowns are done quite routinely in the practice of dentistry. They are necessary when there is not enough remaining tooth structure to support a “filling,” reinforce a tooth that has had root canal treatment or replace a failing restoration due to recurrent caries (cavities). A good crown should look and feel like your natural tooth in appearance, fit and function.

The technology to fabricate crowns has undergone drastic changes over the years. In the past most crowns were porcelain fused to gold (or other metals) while today the vast majority are milled ceramic (e.g., zirconia).

The impression technique has also drastically changed. For years, impression material was put in trays and placed in the patient’s mouth, allowed to set, and then a model was fabricated upon which to make the crown. Although there are some instances where this may still be necessary, the current standard of care involves scanning the teeth and digitally fabricating the final crown.

How long does it take to fit a dental crown?

Fitting a crown in our office typically requires three visits.

At visit one we will prepare the tooth, removing the decay, shaping the tooth, and fitting a provisional “temporary” crown.

At visit two we may refine the preparation and will take the impression by scanning with a camera that takes 6000 photos per second and builds a three-dimensional model. This is sent to the lab where the final crown is milled and finished.

At visit three we will insert the final crown.

Before and Afters

Dental Crown, Bridge, and Bonding Before and After

 

 

 

 

 Dental Crown, Bridge, and Bonding Case Explained

• A – This tooth has dental bonding.
• B, C, D – These teeth are a three-unit bridge.
• E, F – These teeth are individual crowns.
• G – This tooth has dental bonding.