What is a dental crown? Why might a tooth require one?
Dental crowns ("tooth caps") are one of dentistry's most versatile restorations. Beyond just offering a way to rebuild and strengthen damaged or compromised teeth, they also provide a way by which a tooth's overall appearance (color, shape and even apparent alignment) can be vastly improved.
While reading our pages, you'll learn about the different types of crowns (ceramic, porcelain-fused-to-metal, and all-metal/gold) and when each of these types might make the best choice. We also describe the steps a dentist follows when they make a crown for a patient, as well as how much you can expect your crown to cost and how long it may possibly last.
We also cover issues such as alternative restorations, how crowns differ from porcelain veneers and common crown-related problems, including what to do if you have one come off.
Just looking for quick information? 6 things to consider when having a dental crown made.
What are dental crowns?
A crown is a type of dental restoration that, when cemented into place, fully cups over that portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line. Since it encases the entire visible aspect of a tooth, a dental crown, in effect, becomes the tooth's new outer surface.
In comparison, dental fillings are restorations that fill in or patch just a portion of a tooth. Other terms that are used to refer to crowns are "dental caps" and "tooth caps."
What are dental crowns made out of?
Crowns can be made out of porcelain (meaning some sort of dental ceramic), metal (a gold or other metal alloy), or a combination of both (porcelain-fused-to-metal). We've dedicated a page to this topic: What type of dental crown should you have made?
Why do teeth need dental crowns?
A dentist might recommend placing a crown on a tooth for a variety of reasons but, in general, most of them will usually fall within one of the following basic categories:
- Restoring or making changes with a tooth's shape.
- Strengthening the tooth.
- Improving the cosmetic appearance of the tooth.
A) Restoring / improving the shape of a tooth.
It's not too hard to envision how a dental crown might be used to restore, or even improve, a tooth's shape.
When a crown is cemented into place, it becomes, in essence, the tooth's new outer shell. And although they must stay within certain guidelines, it's easy to seen how placing a crown gives a dentist great control in defining the overall shape of a tooth.
It is conceivable that a dental filling, as an alternative, might be placed instead. Crowns, however, offer a big advantage due to the fact that they are fabricated "away from your mouth."
By this we simply mean that dental crowns are fabricated in a dental laboratory (by a dental technician using plaster molds your teeth). Dental fillings, in comparison, are created "in your mouth" by way of your dentist placing the filling material directly upon your tooth.
A dental laboratory technician has opportunity to visualize and examine all aspects of your bite and jaw movements from a variety of angles, and then sculpt your dental crown so it has the ideal shape. In comparison, when a dentist places a dental filling they have far less control over the final outcome because it is often difficult for them to visualize, evaluate, or access to the tooth they're working on.
B) Using crowns to strengthen teeth.
Dental crowns are routinely made for teeth that have broken, have large portions missing due to tooth decay or have had root canal treatment. This is because beyond just restoring the tooth's shape, a crown can provide a reinforcing and strengthening effect for it too. (This is especially true for all-metal and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.)
Dental fillings (amalgam or bonding), can't typically provide a substantial reinforcing effect for a tooth in the same way. We discuss this topic in greater detail here: How does a crown strengthen a tooth? / When does one make a better choice than a filling?
C) Using porcelain dental crowns to improve the cosmetic appearance of teeth.
Because dental crowns encase the visible portion of a tooth, any porcelain crown (all-ceramic or porcelain-fused-to-metal ones) can be used to enhance or idealize the cosmetic appearance of a tooth.
Taken to an extreme, this technique can be used to radically improve the appearance of a person's smile. In fact, in decades past it was common to hear that some movie stars had had their teeth "capped." This simply meant that they got their perfect "Hollywood" smile by way of having dental crowns placed.
Actually, getting your teeth "capped" just to improve their appearance can, in most cases, be a very poor choice. Dental crowns are best utilized as a way to make a cosmetic change when the crown simultaneously serves other purposes, such as restoring the tooth to its original shape or strengthening it.
As a general rule, a crown really shouldn't be placed solely to improve the appearance of a tooth if there is some other alternative procedure that could just as well achieve the same end result. This is because a dentist must grind a significant portion of a tooth away when a dental crown is made. If a more conservative dental procedure can equally improve the tooth's appearance, such as a porcelain veneer, dental bonding, or even just teeth whitening, then it is usually best to consider that treatment option first.
