Crowns
A custom-made cap that covers a damaged, heavily filled or root-treated tooth to restore its strength and shape.
How long
1–2 visits over 2–3 weeks
How long it lasts
10–15 years or longer
Anaesthetic
Local anaesthetic
What's involved
The tooth is shaped down, scanned or impressed, and a crown is made in porcelain, zirconia or metal-ceramic. A temporary crown protects the tooth in the meantime.
Practices with a milling machine on site can sometimes make and fit a crown the same day.
Crowns are usually the recommended option after a root canal or when a tooth has cracked or lost too much structure for a filling to hold.
Common questions
- Crown or filling?
- If more than about half the tooth is missing or cracked, a crown holds it together better than a large filling.
- Will it match my other teeth?
- Porcelain and zirconia crowns are shade-matched. Ask for a shade check in daylight before it's cemented.
- How do I look after it?
- Brush and floss as normal. Crowns don't decay, but the natural tooth underneath still can.