What are dental crowns?

Crowns are a great way of rebuilding and restoring teeth that have become weakened by decay, damaged or broken. Sometimes you may have an old filling that has become discoloured and you want to improve the appearance to restore confidence in your smile. Perhaps you have a root filling which needs a crown to help protect it.

What is a crown made of?

Crowns can be made from a number of materials, including but not limited to: porcelain, alloys and a combination of both. It used to be that metal was the only option for crowns, but modern dentistry has come a long way.

Our preference is porcelain (ceramic).

On this page you can compare some of our beautiful ceramic crown photos, showing before and after. As you can see, they look completely natural and really make a huge difference to the quality of each person’s smile.

Ceramic crowns can be very high tech, made from digital impressions to a computer controlled milling process to the final sculpting by the technicians skilled touches. They have the strength of a bonded crown without the downside of increased gum recession or artificial looks. The metal framework doesn’t allow light to pass through, giving a dull appearance when compared to real teeth. Ceramic crowns give the impression of being real, and they are suitable and applicable for all areas of the mouth.

How long do crowns last?

If properly cared for, ceramic crowns can last for 15+ years. As with your normal teeth, regular brushing and flossing is essential, and as with your normal teeth, they can be chipped or damaged in a fall or other kind of trauma. Getting teeth repaired or improved with any form of cosmetic restoration is not a free pass to eat sugar and stop brushing, good dental hygiene is always important!