What Do You Know About Dental Crown?

A Dental Crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth in order to cover the tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, & improve its appearance. The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at & above the gum line.

What Are The Indications For A Dental Crown? 

Crowns can be indicated in a lot of situations. Here are some of the situations in which a Dental Crown would be the treatment of choice.

1. Advanced Tooth Destruction/ Badly Broken or Decayed Tooth
2. Tooth With Large Fillings/Restorations That Need Replacement (To Strengthen The Tooth or Make It More Aesthetic)
3. Tooth Fracture In Which Normal Fillings/Restorations Could Not Restore The Tooth
4. Improving Tooth Aesthetics (Mask Previous Teeth Fillings, Discolouration or Shape)
5. Endodontically Treated Teeth (Teeth That Have Undergone Root Canal Treatment)
6. To cover Dental Implants
7. Retainer Crowns for Dental Bridges or Dentures (Dental Crowns are utilised to attach & hold bridges,removable partial dentures or over dentures in place)
8. Dental Abrasion/Attrition
9. Bruxism (habitual grinding of the teeth, typically during sleep)

What Are the Contraindications For A Dental Crown?

1. Conditions that make tooth preparation inadvisable
2. When the tooth can be restored with more conservative Fillings such as Composite Fillings, Onlays, Inlays or Veneers.

What Types of Dental Crowns Are Available?

Permanent crowns can be made from Stainless Steel, All Metal (such as Gold or another Alloy), Porcelain-Fused-To-Metal, All Resin, or All Ceramic. Each type of Dental Crown has difference advantages, disadvantages and cost.

In general, the Dental Crowns are available in both Metal Colour & Tooth Colour.

What are the Procedures in Making Dental Crown?

Usually, it take 2 Dental Appointments for a Dental Crown to be issued.

In the First Dental Appointment:

1. Anaesthesia (Numbing) the Tooth to receive Dental Crown.
2. Preparing the Shape of the Tooth to receive Dental Crown.
3. Take an Impression of the Prepared Tooth.
4. Placing a Temporary Dental Crown.
5. Choosing the Shade (Colour) for your Dental Crown.

In the Second Dental Appointment:

1. Removing the Temporary Dental Crown.
2. Evaluating the Fit & Appearance of the Final Dental Crown.
3. Cementation of the Permanent Dental Crown.
4. Done.

Dental Crowns must be done & issued by trained Dentists or Dental Specialists. Always consult your Dentists when you are in doubt.

Article written by,

Dr. Wong Kee Cheong (Tommy)
Dental Surgeon
BDS (AIMST), MBA (SEGi), YCDP