Dental Crowns in Wilmslow

A dental crown is a tooth shaped cap made in a lab and placed over an existing tooth to protect it from further damage. The crown covers the tooth to restore its shape, size, strength and improves the overall appearance of your tooth.

Crowns can hold fractured teeth together and support bridges, and they are often applied as the last step in root canal treatment, as this has proven to be the most successful way of sealing and protecting the tooth. They can also be used to improve the appearance of misshapen or discoloured teeth to improve the appearance of your smile. A crown is likely to be recommended if there is no longer enough healthy tooth tissue left to sufficiently hold a filling or used to cover and protect damaged or weak teeth.

It is a long-lasting solution and once fixed in place, a crown should look, feel and function just like any other tooth.

Crowns are made of variety of materials and new materials are being introduced all the time. Here are some options available at present:

• Porcelain bonded to precious metal is what most crowns are made from. A precious metal base is made, and layers of porcelain are then applied over it.
• Porcelain crowns are not as strong as bonded crowns, but they can look very natural and are most often used for front teeth.
• Porcelain or composite resin materials can sometimes look the most natural. However, these crowns are not as strong as bonded metal crowns.
• Glass crowns look very natural and are used on both front and back teeth.
• Precious metals (gold and palladium) crowns are very strong and hard-wearing but are not usually used at the front of the mouth, where they are highly visible.

The dentist will prepare the tooth to the ideal shape for the crown. This will mean removing most of the outer surface and leaving a strong inner core. The amount of the tooth removed will be the same as the thickness of the crown to be fitted. Once the tooth is shaped, the dentist will take an impression of the prepared tooth, one of the opposite jaws and possibly another to mark the way you bite together. The impressions will be given to the dental technician, along with any other information needed to make the crown.

If your tooth has considerable damage or a weakened structure, a crown can help support that tooth and prevent further decay, preserving your natural tooth for the future. Crowns can also improve the appearance of a tooth that is chipped or stained, restoring the tooth to its usual shape and colour. The crown will not be noticeable and will be made to match your other teeth. The shade of the neighbouring teeth will be recorded to make sure that the colour looks natural and matches the surrounding teeth.

If you take proper care of your teeth, a dental crown can last for many years. Your dentist will advise you on how long you can expect your crown to last and how to maintain it.

You should treat your crown like a normal tooth. The crown acts as a sleeve over the top of your natural tooth so decay and gum disease can still occur without a good oral health routine. Maintain regular dental visits and remember to continue to floss around the tooth. When flossing, try to pull the floss through your teeth rather than upwards as sometimes pulling up and out can catch on your crown and contribute to wear and tear.

If you think you might need a crown, or are looking for options for restoring teeth, contact Wentworth Dental & Skin Clinic today.

Treatment	Private and on the NHS when clinically necessary
Consultation	Free 10 min consultation

For more information about this treatment, or what other options are available, please contact Jo, our treatment coordinator, on 01625 523 134 or email us.