What are they?
A full ‘crown’ commonly referred to as a ‘cap’ by some in the dental setting is a tooth shell that sits over your existing tooth and covers it completely in order to afford it protection from breakage. Dental crowns are a commonly-used restoration that can protect a weakened tooth against further damage. Crowns are versatile and can also be used to treat discoloured teeth and cover dental implants.
Why do we need them?
Crowns are necessary in the following cases:
- When teeth are significantly broken down and where restoration of the tooth with a conventional ‘filling’ is either not possible or not adequate enough to maintain the integrity of the tooth.
- For teeth which may not be broken but which are very heavily restored with large fillings and where there is significant risk of the tooth breaking if its not adequately protected.
- For teeth which have had root canal treatment which renders the tooth a lot weaker and highly susceptible to breaking. In such cases crowns (or onlays – explained later) are strongly advised to prevent these teeth from breaking in future.
- For teeth that have significant cracks in order to prevent these cracks from propagating further.
- For highly discoloured teeth where other more conservative means of improving the appearance of these teeth (ie Tooth whitening, veneers, restorations etc) is either not appropriate or has not worked.
What are the different types of crowns?
Crowns can be full or partial. Full crowns cover the entire surface of the affected teeth, whilst partial crowns cover a significant portion of the tooth
An onlay is a type of partial crown that predominantly covers the biting surface of the tooth and then only as much of the rest of the tooth as necessary. It is similar to a crown in that it covers the biting surface to protect it from fracture but is different in that is does not encapsulate the entire tooth as a crown does. An onlay conserves more of the natural tooth structure and relies more on the adhesiveness of the cement on holding it in. An onlay is great for when we wish to preserve as much of the healthy tooth structure as possible and where aesthetics is not a prime consideration.
The benefits of getting a crown:
- Your weak tooth will be protected from further damage and strengthened.
- Your tooth’s function will be restored, allowing you to enjoy tougher foods that may previously have been difficult to eat.
- Custom solution – your crown is made in the image of your smile and in accordance with your bite.
What you can expect from treatment?
Here at Market Square Dental Practice, we believe in creating crowns that have your smile proportions and aesthetic in mind. They are made in the image of your smile, achieved by taking impressions of your teeth. These impressions mean your crown will be in keeping with your existing teeth and the dental lab will create your crowns and send them back to us here at the practice. A very small amount of tooth enamel will be removed, so your smile can accommodate the new crown. We will invite you back to the practice when we receive your crown and make any minor adjustments.
