Crowns and rebuilt teeth
A crown is what keeps a damaged tooth in your mouth instead of in a bin.
Crowns come up most often after a root canal, after a big filling has failed, or when a tooth has cracked. In each case the tooth is structurally weaker than it looks and a crown is what stops it splitting. If you have been told you need one and are wondering whether a filling would do, crown or filling is the honest version of that conversation.
If a tooth genuinely cannot be saved, we will tell you, and we will talk through an implant or a bridge rather than crowning something that will fail.
How a visit actually goes.
- 01
We check what is left
A crown only works if there is enough sound tooth underneath. We check that first and tell you straight if there is not.
- 02
The tooth is shaped
The tooth is reduced slightly so the crown fits over it, and we take a scan or an impression of the result.
- 03
A temporary, then the real one
You leave with a temporary crown so the tooth is protected and you can eat normally, and we fit the permanent one at the next visit.
The honest answer on price.
We do not publish a single figure for this, because the number depends on what your case actually needs. Here is what moves it.
- The material, which is driven by which tooth it is and how much force it takes
- Whether the tooth needs building up first before a crown can be fitted
- What your plan contributes
Every case is different, so treat any figure here as a starting point and not a quote. We will give you an exact number in writing after an exam, along with what your plan covers.
Questions patients ask
- How long does a crown last?
- Years, often more than ten, and how you look after it matters more than the material does. It still needs brushing and flossing like any other tooth, because the tooth underneath can still decay at the edge.
- Will it look like my other teeth?
- On a front tooth, matching the shade is part of the job and we take the time over it. On a back tooth most patients care more about strength than colour.
- Do I need a crown after a root canal?
- Usually, on a back tooth. The tooth is more brittle once the inside has been treated, and a crown is the thing that keeps it from cracking.
Ready when you are.
This one is booked over the phone rather than online, so the front desk can put you with the right dentist for the right length of visit.