Porcelain Crowns

A porcelain crown restoration

When a tooth needs a restoration or you want to improve your smile, sometimes the best choice is a porcelain crown. A porcelain crown is precision-crafted in a dental laboratory, so it may take two or more appointments to restore your tooth with a porcelain crown.

Placing a porcelain crown

On your first visit, we numb the area to make you comfortable. We may also use a rubber dam to protect your mouth and the back of your throat while we work.

Using the handpiece, we remove any decay and shape the tooth, so it will securely hold the crown. Next we take an impression of your teeth. The dental lab uses this impression to make an accurate model of your mouth; then they use the model to create a crown that exactly fits your tooth and bite. In the meantime, we often place a temporary crown to protect your tooth.

On your next visit, we remove the temporary crown and try in your new porcelain crown. We check the fit, and when everything is right, we bond or cement the crown in place.

The benefits of a porcelain crown

A porcelain crown has several benefits. Like all crowns, it covers and protects your tooth. But in addition, a porcelain crown is:

• strong and durable.
• beautiful, with the life-like translucency of natural teeth.
• healthier for your teeth and gums because the edge of the natural-looking porcelain does not need to be hidden under the gumline.