The dental crown procedure is usually broken up into two appointments, although same day crowns are also available. During your first appointment, we will prepare the tooth by removing a large portion of the enamel (decayed and healthy). The tooth must be completely restructured to accommodate the shape of the dental crown. We may also need to build up the core of the tooth to provide additional support.
Once your tooth is in the proper shape, we will take an impression to create a 3D model. The model will be used to fabricate a precise and effective final crown. These days, most crowns are fabricated using porcelain or some other ceramic material. Porcelain possesses the same light-reflective properties as natural enamel, making it virtually indistinguishable from the rest of your teeth.
Other crown materials include silver (amalgam), gold, composite resin, zirconia, porcelain-fused-to-metal, and stainless steel. Regardless, the fabrication process generally takes a couple of weeks. In the meantime, we may provide you with a temporary restoration to protect the tooth.
Once your final crown is ready, we can schedule your second appointment. During the second appointment, we will remove the temporary crown. Next, we will place the final crown over the tooth and check the margins. We may need to make some last-minute adjustments to achieve the proper fit. Once we are satisfied with the fit, we will permanently bond the crown to the enamel using special cement.
