• badly decayed or chipped
• discoloured or mis-shaped

How is a crown done?
To put it simply, the tooth is trimmed to make space for the final crown. Moulds are then taken of this tooth for a custom-made crown to be made in the laboratory according to your dentist's instructions. When the crown is ready, it is slipped over the tooth and firmly cemented in place.

What is a crown made of?
It can be made of porcelain or metal or combinations of gold alloys and porcelain Special types of glass and plastics can also be used. Your dentist will choose the material best suited for your case.

How do I care for my crown?
Careful daily brushing and flossing are essential to keep the gums around the crown healthy. Also don't crack ice, bones etc. as this may chip the porcelain. Regular check-ups by your dentist are also necessary. Remember, crowns and bridges are only as good as they are maintained.

How much does a crown cost?
The fee will depend on, the materials used, the complexity of the case and the skill of the dentist. Full porcelain and gold-based crowns are more expensive. Crowns made of non-precious metals are cheaper but less attractive. Consult your dentist for actual fees that will be incurred.

Why do crowns cost more than fillings?
Crowns & bridges are long-term restorations. Making them requires the considerable skill and time of your dentist and a technician working in a specially equipped laboratory. The crown itself is often made precious metals. When you pay for your crown, you're paying for all these.

Are there any alternatives which cost less?
If you desire the ultimate in function and appearance, then there are very few alternatives which are truly satisfactory. In certain limited situations, bonding will provide an adequate alternative to crowns. When discoloured teeth are concerned, bleaching may prove to be the cheaper alternative to crowns, though the result may not be predictable. Veneers or laminates to mask & cover discoloured surfaces of teeth may be considered as alternatives to crowns.

Frequently Asked Questions about Crowns

What will be placed on my tooth while the permanent crown is being made?
As there will always be an interval of a few days to a few weeks before the permanent crown is fitted, the dentist will ensure adequate protection of the prepared tooth with a temporary crown or temporary dressing. For the front teeth, temporary plastic crowns offer very satisfactory cosmetic results, which means you will have nice teeth to smile with at all times. For molar tooth, a soft metal temporary crown may be fitted which continues to be functional until the permanent crown is fitted. In all cases, the temporary crowns or dressings are fairly easily & quickly removed before you are fitted with your new permanent crown.

Is it always necessary to remove the nerve of a tooth prior to crowning it?
No. A normal, healthy pulp or nerve of a tooth is seldom removed prior to crowning it. Possibly the only exceptions to this role would be when it is necessary to insert a post into the nerve canal as an anchor for the crown in cases where the tooth is badly broken down and not much is left to support the crown. The other instance arises when a crown is made to re-align a crooked tooth. The nerve may be in the way of the newly aligned crown and thus may have to be removed.

Of course in cases when the nerve has reached a stage of infection or irritation where the condition is irreversible, then, it will be best to remove the nerve & treat the root canal prior to crowning the tooth.

Why does my dentist suggest crowning my molar, which has been root treated?
A dead tooth, having lost its blood and nerve supply, becomes more brittle and less resilient. In the case of the molar teeth, which bear the brunt of heavy chewing, fracture of the tooth is a very common occurrence with this dead tooth. Often, if the fracture is not severe, crowning or other suitable procedures may still save the tooth. However, if the fracture line runs unfavourably, you may lose the tooth. Crowning, as a preventive measure, therefore serves to prolonged the life of a tooth which you have chosen to preserve by undergoing root canal treatment.

Will crowning make my teeth less prone to decay?
Yes, if you maintain a reasonable standard of oral hygiene & home care. A crowned tooth has much less of its structure exposed to all the decay causing agents in the mouth, hence it will resist decay more effectively if you practice good oral hygiene. Cleaning would involve both correct brushing & flossing to clean the margins of the crown.

Why is my crowned tooth so sensitive to hot & cold drinks?
A newly crowned tooth may be sensitive to hot & cold initially, but this should not persist for long. A hypersensitive tooth often indicates all is not well with the tooth nerve and, if persistent, will necessitate root canal treatment. Therefore, during the preparation of a tooth for a crown, the dentist takes a lot of care not to injure the underlying nerve, so as to avoid post operative sensitivity. Precautions he will take include using lots of water in the form of a spray during preparation of the tooth, providing a temporary crown during the interim period and cementing the permanent crown with a non-irritant cement best suited to the case.

I sometimes hear embarrassing stories about crowns falling out at awkward moments. Does this happen often?
No. This does not usually happen. As with most unpleasant things, we only hear of the instances where crowns have dropped but not of those countless crowns which have stayed in place & functioned for years. Generally speaking, the crowns with the greatest likelihood of dropping out are those with minimal tooth support, i.e. very short teeth and very badly decayed teeth. In these situations, the proper design and preparation of the teeth would be of utmost importance to ensure the stability and retention of the crown.

Will I have to be extra careful when chewing on my front crowns? Can I safely crack nuts & bones with them?
In most cases, normal eating habits with the usual diet are fine & do not jeopardize the crowns. However, it is definitely not advisable to chew on or crack bones or shells as the chances of fracturing the porcelain are high. Crowns on the front teeth are only as strong as your natural teeth. What may be hazardous to your own teeth would definitely be harmful to the crowns.

My teeth are crooked and discoloured and I long to have a beautiful smile. Will crowning them help me?
Yes, modern dentistry, with all its newer materials & techniques available today, can transform a person by giving him or her the confidence of a beautiful smile. Among other ways, crowning often can solve the problem of slightly crooked teeth, discoloured teeth or even malformed teeth, all of which may be the cause of a self-conscious & inhibited smile.

Some of my friends' crowns look so false. Why?
One of the most difficult aspects of constructing a crown is the reproduction of the natural tooth's translucence. Porcelain approaches natural tooth translucence very closely but when used in conjunction with a gold alloy for strength, this translucence decreases and the problem of opacity of the crown increases. It is often this opacity that gives crowns the artificial look. However, newer developments in this field are making more natural looking crowns more easily attainable by the dentist. Of course other aspects also go a long way towards avoiding the "false tooth" look: aspects such as shade (colour) selection, crown shape, size and position. Ultimately it is the artistry and skill of both the dentist & the technician that makes a crown look like a natural part of you.