When a tooth has a large cavity or an old filling that is leaking a crown may be needed to restore the tooth. Crowns or onlays (partial crowns) are needed when there is insufficient tooth strength remaining to hold a filling.

To start a crown the cavity is removed the tooth is shaped for a crown. After taking a 3D scan or impression, a temporary crown is put on the tooth. Unlike tooth colored fillings, which are applied directly in the mouth, a crown is fabricated in a machine. Crowns are created in a lab from a unique tooth impression that allows a dental laboratory technician to examine all aspects of the bite and jaw movements. The crown is then sculpted so that bite and jaw movements function normally once the crown is placed. This process takes 2-4 weeks.

At the second visit the crown in permanently “cemented” onto the existing tooth. In effect, the crown becomes your tooth’s new outer surface. Crowns can be made of porcelain, metal, or both. Porcelain crowns are most often preferred because they mimic the translucency of natural teeth and are very strong. Teeth that have been crowned can still get cavities, so it is important they be brushed, flossed and maintained just like regular teeth.