All-ceramic crowns.Teeth that are too badly damaged to hold fillings can benefit from porcelain dental crowns, which strengthen your teeth and blend with your natural tooth colour. A crown is an artificial restoration which fits over the remaining part of a prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth.
Nowadays, there is a variety of different materials. In most cases, we use the modern technique of all-ceramic restoration, which offers a metal-free alternative, which can give the high strength combined with great aesthetics and is suitable for all areas in the mouth.
FAQ’s
How is a crown prepared?
We will prepare the tooth to the ideal shape of the crown. This will involve removing most of the outer surface, leaving a strong inner core. The amount of the tooth removed will be the same as the thickness of the crown. Once the tooth is shaped, the dentist will take an impression (mould) of the prepared tooth, one of the opposite jaw and possible another to mark the way you bite together. The impressions will then be given to th dental technician, along with an appropriate shade and other information needed for the crown to be made.
What is a post-crown?
In root-filled teeth, it may be necessary to insert a post before placing a crown. A post provides support and helps the crown stay in place. The weakened crown of the tooth may be shortened to the gum level.
What will happen between visits?
A temporary crown will be made so that you can use that tooth while you wait for the crown to be made by the dental technician.
How is the crown fitted?
Only when you are happy with fit and the appearance of the new crown, it will be fixed in place with the special dental cement or adhesive. The cement forms a seal to hold the crown in place.
How long does the treatment take?
You will need to have at least two visits: the first for the preparation, impression , shade taking and fitting the temporary crown, and the second to fit the permanent crown. There will be about 1 to 2 weeks in between appointments.
Does it hurt to have a tooth prepared for a crown?
No. A local anaesthetic (injection) is used and the preparation should feel no different from a filling. If the tooth doesn’t have a nerve, and a post crown is being prepared, then a local anaesthetic may not be needed.
Will the crown be noticeable?
No. The crown will be made to match your other teeth exactly. The shade of the neighbouring teeth will be recorded, to make sure that the colour looks natural and matches the surrounding teeth.
Will the crown feel different?
Because the shape of the crown will be slightly different from the shape of your tooth before it was crowned, you may be aware of it to begin with. Within a few days it will feel fine, and you will not notice it. The crown may need some adjustment if your bite doesn’t feel completely comfortable.
How do I care for my crown?
This will determine how long it will last. The crown itself cannot decay, but decay can start where the edge of the tooth joins the tooth. Therefore, it is important to keep this area just as clean as you would your natural teeth in order to prevent decay affecting the crown.
PORCELAIN BRIDGES
When a missing tooth leaves a gap in your smile, we use the finest in modern ceramic materials to craft a very real-looking replacement that can be anchored in place by crowns. This is all made in the laboratory and then cemented in place with a special adhesive.