A crown is an artificial tooth which fits over your real tooth like a thimble, they are also sometimes called caps. They are made to protect the tooth from breaking down following root canal treatment, or if a tooth is heavily filled, fractured or broken. Crowns can also be used for cosmetic purposes to improve the appearance of teeth.

Our Cerec crowns are made of a strong all ceramic material, similar to your real teeth. Your dentist will pick a shade most similar to the colour of your real teeth, so it matches in.

The appearance in the long term outweighs those of traditional porcelain and metal crowns which show a black line of the metal with time, as your gums recede.

Treatment

The crowns are created by removing the outer surface of the tooth, leaving a strong inner core. In most cases you will be given an injection, so it won’t hurt, and will feel the same as a filling.

The teeth, and those beside it, are then sprayed with a powder, which allows us to take photos of the teeth. This replaces the impressions done with conventional crown preparations.

The computer then forms a 3d image of your teeth based on the precise measurements made via the camera. The dentist will then begin to form the crown on the computer. This can take some time, so at this point we can return you to the waiting room. It may be an idea to bring a book! The crown takes about 20 minutes to make.

The whole preparation, and crown construction is done in house. This means that the process of preparing, manufacturing, and fitting the crown is reduced. In some cases, we are able to prepare, make and fit the crown within the same day.

On the other hand, if you have a hard bite, an even stronger material is used to assure strength and longevity of the crown. In this case, the crown needs to be baked in an oven first, so it can be fitted for you one week later.

Benefits of crowns

Crowns support a tooth that has been badly damaged – crowns can protect and strengthen teeth

Crowns improve the appearance of your teeth – they can add length or width to misshapen teeth

Crowns are long lasting – crowns can last for 5-10 years; your dentist will be able to give you an idea of the expected lifespan prior to treatment