Crowns Cover, Protect, Seal And Strengthen A Tooth

A crown fits over the entire top of the tooth above the gum line. It is needed when a filling does not work. A crown may be made of gold, white porcelain, or porcelain fused to gold. There are many situations that may call for a crown:     

 - Old Filling
When old fillings break, or get decay around them, they usually need to be crowned. It is important to crown a tooth that has been structurally weakened to prevent a cracked or broken tooth. Once a tooth breaks, it may not be possible to save it.

- Cracked Tooth
When a tooth is cracked, a filling will not be enough to seal the crack. A crown has to be placed over the tooth to hold it and the crack together. If a crown is not placed on the tooth, the tooth may become sensitive to chewing pressure, and eventually breaks. It is important to crown a cracked tooth before it breaks, because in some cases a broken tooth cannot be crowned and must be extracted.

- Large Decay
If a tooth has decay so deep that a filling will not stay, or if the tooth structure is weakened, a crown must be placed on the tooth to save and strengthen it.

- Broken and/or Fractured Tooth
A broken tooth is usually too weak to hold a filling. A crown will hold the tooth together and prevent it from breaking again. If the fracture involves the nerve, Root Canal Therapy may be required before the tooth is crowned. In some cases, a broken tooth cannot be saved and must be extracted.

- Sensitive Teeth
Teeth that are very sensitive, either from a lot of "wear", or from receded gums, sometimes require crowns to seal and protect the teeth from hot and cold sensitivity.

- Root Canal Therapy
A tooth that has undergone Root Canal Therapy will need a crown to seal and protect the tooth. A tooth with Root Canal Therapy is more brittle than a tooth with a healthy nerve and blood supply and needs the crown for strength and support.