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What is a Dental Crown?

  • Dental crowns are tooth-shaped “caps” that can be placed over your tooth. 

  • The dental crown is cemented into place on your tooth and it covers the visible portion of the tooth.

  • Permanent crowns can be made out of many different materials. These materials can include:

    • Metal​

    • Gold

    • Porcelain fused to metal

    • Ceramic like zirconia

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  • You will typically have two visits to the dentist to prepare for a dental crown​

  • During the first visit, the tooth that’s going to receive the crown is examined and prepared. X-rays are taken of the tooth and the bone around it.

  • The tooth that’s receiving the crown will be filed down across the top and sides. This will make space for the crown itself. The amount of tooth that gets filed away depends on the type of crown you have.

  • The impressions are sent to a dental laboratory. The laboratory makes the crowns and usually returns them to the dentist’s office in two to three weeks. During this first office visit, your dentist will make a temporary crown to cover and protect the prepared tooth while you’re waiting on the permanent crown.

  • At the second visit, the permanent crown is placed on your tooth. First, the temporary crown is removed and the fit and colour of the permanent crown is checked.

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