Crowns are intended to reinforce a weakened tooth to prevent a catastrophic failure. They can be made out of gold, or very strong tooth-colored ceramic material.

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a covering that encircles and reinforces a weakened or broken tooth. Some situations when crowns are recommended are:

After a root canal
Broken or fractured teeth
Teeth with cracks
Teeth with large fillings (more than ½ of the chewing surface is filling)
Teeth with accelerated wear

Teeth are subjected to tremendous pressures. Crowns reinforce the weakened tooth, providing strength and protecting the tooth against breakage. A broken or cracked tooth is a far more serious matter and are often much more difficult to treat. Crowns help prevent this, and also make for a nice smile.

It takes two appointments to restore a tooth with a crown. In the first, any decay is removed from the tooth and it is shaped to accept the crown. Then, an impression is made of the tooth for use in fabricating a crown. Between the two visits, the crown is made, usually using very strong ceramic material, or gold. During this time, a temporary crown is worn. Then the permanent crown is applied, adjusted as needed, and cemented in place.

Dr. Foutz uses state-of-the-art technology to create customized crowns right in our office.