Crowns are tooth-shaped caps which fit over your teeth. Crowns can be used over teeth with large heavily filled, blackened or root-filled teeth. They can also be used cosmetically to improve the appearance of your front teeth. Your dentist can tell you which of your teeth would best be protected by crowns before problems develop. Crowns provide strong, attractive, long term protection for your mouth.

They are usually made of porcelain, and the porcelain ‘tooth' may have a gold or metal core for added strength. Where a natural appearance is not essential (e.g. at the back of your mouth), a gold or other metal crown may be used.

How are Crowns Fitted?

First your dentist will reduce the size of the existing filling and tooth to make room for the new crown, and then take a mould which is sent to a dental technician. Sometimes the filling in the tooth to be crowned is completely removed to check for decay and to rebuild the tooth for increased strength.  Your dentist will fit a temporary crown to cover your tooth until the permanent crown has been made by a dental technician. Once your permanent crown is ready, your dentist will check the fit and appearance before cementing it in place