Crowns, or ‘caps’ as they can be known, cover a badly damaged tooth or a tooth which may have had a root canal treatment. A bridge is basically a number of crowns joined together to fill a gap in between teeth.
In covering a tooth, a crown holds what remains of the tooth together. Crowns can also be placed on a tooth that has fractured at the gum level. The top of the tooth can be rebuilt using posts or pins and strong composite material should the tooth have a good solid root.
Crown treatment
Two appointments are required for crown treatment. The first to prepare the tooth for the crown, to fit a temporary crown, and take impressions. These impressions are then sent to the laboratory to have the crown made.
The second appointment is a shorter one, to fit the crown onto the tooth.
Materials
Crowns can be made of varying materials as a base but are always covered by porcelain. Porcelain on metal crowns is common. For a more aesthetic look, especially on teeth closer to the front, we would recommend porcelain on zirconia crowns—which are all white.
