What are Dental Crowns?

If a tooth is extremely damaged, a dental crown may be needed to restore its appearance and strength. Crowns will cover the entire visible surface of your affected tooth. It will seal the chipped or broken areas. Dental crowns can actually be considered as dental onlays that completely cover all surfaces of a tooth.

They add strength, durability and stability to the tooth. Dr Yianni Magnis at Marina View Dentistry will help you determine whether the nature of your tooth damage is such that it requires a dental crown.

Types of Dental Crowns

Depending on the materials used for construction, there are generally three types of crowns – gold crowns, ceramic / porcelain crowns and ceramic-veneered gold crowns. Gold and metal-ceramic crowns are extremely durable and are normally used in molars, where the forces from chewing and grinding are most prevalent. Today we mostly use porcelain crowns.

Porcelain Crowns

Also, there are two types of porcelain materials used to make dental crowns – the felspathic porcelains and pressed ceramic porcelains. The felspathic porcelain is the traditional one that has been around for 20 years.

Porcelain crowns are used usually for front teeth, because they can best resemble your natural tooth color. Generally, porcelain crowns are more expensive than gold crowns, because they are more time-consuming to make and attach.

The type of crown suitable for you will depend on your individual needs and requirements. Dr Yianni Magnis at Marina View Dentistry will be happy to discuss with you to assist you in determining the dental crown that best suits your requirements. Starting with your first appointment we will discuss with you to tell about the various options and help you make a decision

Crowns the same day or in an hour?

Although we have the technology to make porcelain crown in a day, I have personally found that quality is better when the crown is made by a lab technician and not by a machine. This is definitely where technology is heading to, but untill it is perfected we will have our lab technicians make them. 

When would we recommend Dental Crowns for you?

There are several factors that can cause extensive defects on your tooth surface. For example, root canals, lost fillings, decay below a filling, chipping and cracking of the enamel etc. Generally, we would recommend dental crowns as a treatment option for you when the entire surface of your tooth is a problem, but the root system is intact.

How we do it?

Usually it takes about two visits to our dental office to get a crown.

At your first visit, Dr Yianni Magnis at Marina View Dentistrywill make an impression of your tooth and our in-house dental lab will fabricate your crown. At this time we also work with you to discuss and select the cement color used for your crown, so that it matches well with your desired tooth color. During this visit we also remove the damaged areas of your tooth and fit you with a temporary crown.

It takes 3 days to one week for our dental lab to make your permanent crown. During your second visit we remove the temporary crown, prepare your tooth and place the crown.

What can you expect, what are the risks, concerns?

• Dental crowns generally last 10 to 15 years. They add strength to weakened or worn teeth.
• No follow-up visits are generally required. For persons with unhealthy gums, special precautions may be needed. Dr Yianni Magnis at Marina View Dentistry will discuss with you of any precautions you may need to take, based on your dental health status and history.