Why Do You Need A Crown?

The aim is that you keep your natural teeth for life, however if you start to lose your natural teeth, it can affect the shape of your face, the quality of your speech and your ability to chew, eat and swallow food. Losing teeth will also create gaps that harbour bacteria, increasing the likelihood of tooth decay in the future. Dental Crowns have been used by dentists to repair teeth. But why do you need a crown in the first place?

Usually, it’s because your tooth has cracked or decayed and has been significantly damaged. If the tooth has been significantly damaged then there is not enough tooth support left to hold a filling in place – this is the point where a crown is fitted over the top of the existing tooth, retaining the remains of the tooth and filing.

Fitting a dental crowns usually requires two visits. The first visit involves us trimming the tooth into the right shape and taking a mould so that a ceramist can build you a perfectly fitted crown.

During this visit we also clean away any decay and shape the tooth so a crown will fit snuggly over it. On the second visit, usually 2-3 weeks later, your new crown will be ready for fitting. Your dentist will cement it into place.

The variety of materials available to make crowns means that the costs can vary considerably. However, it also means that there are affordable solutions available and accessible to most people. Not everybody wants a metallic or gold crown, however, metallic crowns do have advantages in terms of durability. So if the crown is required at the back of your mouth, it may be an option! Another option is porcelain or ceramic crowns. Many people favour these because they are a good colour match for your existing teeth and therefore look very natural.

Crowns are treated just like one of your own teeth and as long as you maintain a good standard of oral hygiene, then your crown should last for over a decade. However one thing that can affect your crown and its longevity is if your grind your teeth. If you do grind your teeth (or if you think you do) let us know so that we advise you on potential steps you could take to protect your teeth and crowns from damage.