Your dentist has recommended a crown - what is a crown? There are several different ways of restoring teeth, the most common being a filling or bonding. Crowns are used to repair badly decayed, broken or severely discolored teeth or teeth that are not properly aligned. A crown is an artificial covering for the tooth and can be made out of several different types of material. A crown can be porcelain, acrylic, gold or a combination of metal and porcelain or gold and porcelain. Where in the mouth the cap is being placed will determine the type of material used.

Crowns look just like regular teeth and no one but you and your dentist will know which tooth is yours and which one is a cap. The tooth under the crown is reduced in size, over which the crown will be permanently cemented. While the permanent crown is being fabricated your dentist will give you a temporary one to wear. Crowns have a much longer life span than bonding, resist stains better, hold their color and resist chipping and cracking. Crowns do take longer to prepare than bonding and are not reversible. Your dentist can recommend which type of restoration is best for your particular situation.