Crowns and caps refer to the same treatment restoration. The proper term is "Crown" because it covers the entire "Coronal" portion of the tooth! (everything but the roots).

A tooth requires a crown if it:

1. Is badly broken down
2. Has been filled several times during the patient's life and the tooth has become weakened because of the stresses of chewing
3. Has been treated with a root canal
4. Has a large filling which is worn out. (In large fillings the tooth portion will actually "flex" from the biting pressures and in so doing can develop fractures or decay in the small spaces between the filling and the tooth)

In all these instances the tooth is too weak to support itself and hold a filling, so a new filling is inadequate to restore the tooth to health. The crown provides the strength that the tooth lacks.

Crowns are made with a precious metal core covered with porcelain in the shape of a natural tooth. The metal is custom cast and fitted to your tooth with extreme accuracy. The porcelain is custom colored and shaped to match your natural teeth. The crown acts much like a "football helmet" for the tooth. The strong crown helps to maintain the patient's bite or occlusion over long periods of time. By maintaining the proper occlusion, the crown protects the other teeth from excessive pressures during chewing.

Crowns are the strongest and longest lasting restoration a dentist can make for you. With a normal healthy diet and regular professional maintenance crowns can last for years. Of course, the longevity of a crown depends on how a patient uses and cares for their teeth.

Like all mechanical things - maintenance is critical. We recommend a professional cleaning by the hygienist every six months. However, if the patient shows signs of periodontal breakdown, receding gums, inflamed gums, or loss of bone - then the maintenance schedule would be more frequent - perhaps every 2 - 3 months. Proper oral hygiene habits at home are also vital. Like your own teeth, crowns must be thoroughly cleaned on a daily basis.

There are over 100 steps involved in fabricating a porcelain to metal crown. The tooth preparation for a crown is very simple. The tooth is basically the shape of an apple (a small apple) - the reduction of the tooth is slight - we simply want to change the apple shape to a thimble shape, so there are smooth walls and no undercuts. It usually takes only a few  minutes to refine the needed shape. A temporary crown is made to protect the tooth and an impression or mold of the prepared tooth is sent to a special laboratory which fabricates the crown.  It usually will take a two weeks to return from the laboratory, at which point the  dentist removes the temporary crown and cements in the permanent crown.

Last modified: 05/03/04