Crowns are placed for a variety of reasons, both functional and esthetic. A crown is a restoration that completely covers the tooth, almost like a protective helmet. The restoration can be fabricated from gold, porcelain or a combination of the two.
While full gold crowns had been the standard for decades, today the majority of patients prefer restorations that resemble their natural teeth. Ceramic crowns have become the preferred restoration due to their superior esthetics. In the past all ceramic crowns were frequently limited to the front teeth. Recent advances in ceramic crowns have provided us with a highly esthetic, metal-free restoration that has incredible strength. These crowns can be placed on virtually any tooth inside the mouth.
Reasons for crowns:
What does getting a crown involve?
A crown procedure requires two appointments. At your first appointment the tooth will be prepared for the restoration; an impression, or copy, of the tooth will then be made. This impression will be sent to a dental laboratory to fabricate the actual crown. The fabrication will take two to three weeks, during that time a temporary crown will be worn to protect the tooth.
It is important to note that we work only with individually owned dental labs located in the United States. While some of our cosmetic and dental implant procedures are fabricated by out-of-state labs, none of our work is sent overseas. This ensures not only the quality of the work, but the purity of the materials that are being used.
At your second appointment your temporary will be removed, the tooth will be cleaned, and your new restoration will be carefully placed to ensure the spacing and bite are accurate.
Additional before and after photos of crowns can be viewed in our smile gallery.