A crown (or cap) is a covering that encases the entire tooth surface restoring it to its original shape and size. A crown protects and strengthens tooth structure that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations.
Although there are several types of crowns, porcelain (tooth colored crown) are the most popular, because they resemble your natural teeth. They are highly durable and will last many years, but like most dental restorations, they will eventually need to be replaced. Porcelain crowns are made to match the shape, size, and color or your teeth giving you a natural, long-lasting beautiful smile.
Reasons for crowns:
What does getting a crown involve?
Until recently a crown procedure would require two appointments. Your first appointment would include taking several highly accurate molds (or impressions) that will be used to create your custom crown. A mold would also be used to create a temporary crown which will stay on your tooth for approximately two weeks until your new crown is fabricated by a dental laboratory.
Now, with powerful computer-aided design and manufacturing technology called CAD/CAM, we are able to custom fabricate tooth colored restorations, crowns, onlays, and veneers right here in our office, and all in one single appointment!
Procedure
As the first step in the CAD/CAM technique, we prepare and shape the tooth for the restoration. The second step involves applying a reflective powder onto the prepared tooth. We then take a digital image using a special optical infrared camera that records the tooth's exact dimensions directly into the CAD/CAM computer.
After we carefully design the restoration, we select an appropriate material of the proper shade for your specific tooth. We place this material into the milling machine, which in just a few minutes, shapes it into a custom-fitted restoration.
We then try in the new restoration, add any necessary coloring, bond or cement it in place, and polish it to a beautiful luster. Last, we'll check your bite and make any final adjustments.