If you have a damaged tooth and it's not lost, a crown (also called a cap) will be used to cover the damaged part of the tooth. A crown will protect the tooth from further damage. You might need a crown if:
- you have a root canal;
- you have a large filling in a tooth;
- you have a broken tooth; or
- your tooth is badly stained, not the right shape or out of line.
Crowns are made of different kind of metals, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal. They are very strong and last for approximately 10 years if you take great care of them. Brush and floss the crown, just like your natural teeth.
Crowns and replacement teeth are not as strong as your natural teeth, so keep these tips in mind:
- do not bite down on hard objects;
- do not use your teeth to open or cut things; and
- do not do these things with your natural teeth either.
A crown is made by the dentist making a mold of your tooth to fit a temporary crown. It will protect the tooth until the final, permanent crown is prepared. Temporary crowns may not have the same shape and colour as the permanent ones. The dentist will give you a freezing and then file down the tooth to make room for the crown. Another mold is taken of the filed-down tooth and nearby teeth and then the temporary crown is placed over the tooth.
The mold is then sent to a dental lab, where a permanent tooth will be custom-made. The mold of the tooth is then used to make a model. A filling (or restoration) will be made in the same size and shape as the tooth based on the model. The dentist will take off the temporary crown at your next visit and replace it with the permanent one. Then they will to make sure it is the right fit, shape and colour. If it is the right match, the dentist will cement the crown into place. This tooth will look, feel and work like a natural tooth.
