What is a porcelain crown?

A crown protects and strengthens severely decayed or fractured teeth. Porcelain crowns are custom made in a dental laboratory for your individual smile.

How is a porcelain crown placed?

The tooth is shaped for a crown, and then an impression is taken to give a highly accurate reproduction of the shape of the tooth. A provisional restoration is temporarily cemented on the tooth, and the mold is sent to a dental laboratory where a custom crown is fabricated. The crown is then cemented to the tooth.

Why do I need a porcelain crown?

Porcelain crowns can be used to fix gaps, cover stained, chipped, worn, or crooked teeth, or to change the size of teeth.

Advantages:

Porcelain is strong, aesthetic, and one of the longest-lasting cosmetic solutions.

Disadvantages:

Crowns may need to be replaced or re-cemented due to normal wear.

Other possible treatments:

If a tooth is so badly decayed that it cannot be crowned, it will need to be removed and a bridge or implant will need to be placed.