How to Make a Dental CrownHow to Make a Dental Crown

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that covers and protects a damaged or decayed tooth. They are often used to improve a tooth’s appearance, but they also strengthen the tooth and make it more resistant to chewing forces. There are several materials available for making a dental crown including porcelain, glass or ceramic, gold-alloy or non-noble metals (metal alloys).

Dental Crown: What It Is and When You Might Need One

Local anesthesia is usually applied to the affected tooth and surrounding gum tissue. The tooth is then shaped to accommodate the new covering, which may involve some drilling. This shaping is a true demonstration of the dentist’s skill as too little or too much tooth structure mustn’t be removed. Too little will weaken the remaining tooth, while too much will leave it vulnerable to cracking.

The next step is to create a design for the crown that will match the color and shape of the adjacent teeth, especially the opposing one. A good matching is essential to avoid a ‘toothy’ appearance in the mouth and a poor bite.

The crown is then fabricated from the selected material. For example, feldspathic porcelain can be layered over an alumina core to provide translucent crowns with a natural look. Zirconia and lithium disilicate have a more opaque appearance.

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