Crowns

A crown may be the best option for a tooth when the filling takes up more room than the natural tooth structure or where the tooth has fractured, been root canal treated or is severely discoloured.  A crown completely encases a tooth and seals it to prevent fractures and ensure the long-term health of severely broken down teeth.

Materials of crowns

Crowns can be made with numerous different materials.   Depending on your individual need, crowns can be made of ceramic, gold, or a combination of ceramic, gold and porcelain.  Crowns are often made of a white coloured ceramic called Zirconia.  Zirconia is a very technique-sensitive material, so much that A/Prof. Guazzato completed a PhD on Ceramic materials and pioneered the use of Zirconia and ceramics for teeth.  He is a world leader and educator on ceramic and Zirconia for dental use. 

There are times where metals are required especially when in implant crowns or abutments. We do not offer inferior metals as an option for any crown, bridge or implant-supported structures.  All materials used by our technicians are of the highest quality and approved by the food and drug administration.  When you need a crown with metal, you can be sure that at our practice the metal that lines the crown are high nobel metals such as gold, palladium and platinum blends.  The use of base metals are widely used in dentistry as an inexpensive alternative.  Base metals are composed of metals that can have high allergenic, toxic or even carcinogenic properties.

 

Crowns are often required:

  • When the existing filling in your tooth takes up more room than natural tooth structure, the entire structure is compromised. A crown assists with holding the filling and tooth together.

  • When the tooth is severely discoloured which can not be addressed with tooth whitening or porcelain veneers.

  • When the tooth has fractures.

  • After root canal therapy. These teeth almost always require crowns as they lose a great deal of tooth structure from previous fractures, decay, or the root canal process and are furthermore prone to fracture. 

  • As an anchor for a bridge to replace a missing tooth.

 

The crown procedure involves:

  • Preparing (drilling) the tooth into a shape acceptable for the device.

  • Taking moulds of the prepared tooth and the teeth that bite into the prepared tooth.

  • Selecting a shade for tooth-coloured crowns.

  • Fabricating a temporary crown that will remain in place while the crown is being constructed.

  • Cementing or bonding the completed crown into position.

(This procedure can take from two appointments, but in more complicated cases we may require as many as four appointments.)

FAQs About Crowns

How do I look after my crown?

As is true with your natural teeth and especially with teeth that have fillings, you should avoid chewing excessively hard or sticky foods. It is especially important not to bite down on hard foods with just one tooth. The porcelain material can fracture under extreme forces. Anything you chew that could break a natural tooth could break a crown!

Which filling type should I have?

We will recommend the best material to meet your specific needs. Longevity of any of the restorations depend on the quality of the materials and the technical skills in construction and placement (we continually review our techniques to ensure we have the best possible technical skills), and how you maintain the fillings or crowns once they are in your mouth.

Clenching and grinding habits will significantly shorten the useful life of any restoration placed. Food and clenching can break your natural tooth and likewise break any restoration. We recommend six monthly check ups and cleaning appointments as problems can be identified and corrected when it is small and simpler to fix.

What is the difference between a crown made at our practice?

We care so much about quality and that the product produced completely within our strict guidelines that we decided to open a dental laboratory.  This allows us constant contact with our dental technician, ability to choose quality machinery, equipment and also assess the skill of the technician.  Some crowns are lined with metals, we do not offer inferior metals as an option for any crown, bridge, or implant-supported structures. We also ensure that all materials used by our technicians are of the highest quality and approved by the food and drug administration. This means that in the case of crowns lined with metals we use only high noble metals such as gold, palladium and platinum blends. Base metals are widely used in dentistry as an inexpensive alternative to the noble and high noble metals. Base metals are composed of metals that can have high allergenic, toxic or even carcinogenic properties. An alternative to metals is a white coloured ceramic called Zirconia.  A/Prof. Guazzato completed a PhD in Zirconia and is world leading in the recommendations for use of Zirconia for teeth.  We have made a decision in our practice to provide you with the best and most appropriate procedures and materials that dentistry has to offer and we consider your overall medical health.

Want know more or book an appointment? Please contact us.

*Please note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding with treatment you should seek a second opinion.