Dental Crowns

What are dental crowns?

Dental Crown refers to the restoration of teeth using materials that are fabricated by indirect methods which are cemented into place. A crown is used to cap or completely cover a tooth.



Traditionally, the teeth to be crowned are prepared by a dentist and records are given to a dental technician to fabricate the crown or bridge, which can then be inserted at another dental appointment. The main advantages of the indirect method of
 tooth restoration include:

* Fabrication of the restoration without the need for having the patient in the chair.

* The utilization of materials that require special fabrication methods, such as casting.

* The use of materials that require intense heat to be processed into a restoration, such as gold and porcelain.


Dental Crowns Before

Dental Crowns After




 

 



When biting pressure is too great for porcelain jackets or gaps from missing teeth must be filled in, metal alloy must be placed under the porcelain for strength.
 
Dental Crowns Before

Dental Crowns After
 

This is the porcelain fused to metal crown technique. More tooth structure is removed to accommodate both metal and porcelain. Once an impression is taken, a metal coping is made on the prepared tooth.

This is then covered with porcelain. Porcelain fused to metal crowns do not have the translucency of pure porcelain crowns.

Therefore, aesthetics may be slightly compromised in some situations. However, a talented ceramist with experience in custom staining can usually overcome these limitations, thereby creating life like restorations.

When teeth are loose due to periodontal bone loss, this technique is used. Here the crowns are splinted together by joining the metal substructure of the crowns so they are tied together like a small fence in the mouth.

When individual back teeth are broken down but some good healthy tooth structure remains, porcelain fused to gold inlays are used.

These are the strongest and longest lasting of all the aesthetic back teeth restorations. Once the tooth is properly prepared, the technique is similar to the porcelain fused to metal crown technique.

The benefit of this restoration is the advantage of gold underneath which supports the tooth during heavy biting loads, thereby protecting the tooth and the nerve within.