A tooth-colored crown may be made of both porcelain and metal, or thanks to newly available technology, it may be made entirely or porcelain.

In the past, porcelain crowns were built upon a metal core.  That was the only way they could have enough strength to withstand the tremendous biting forces that are exerted on all of your teeth.  That metal core is what creates the dark blue line at the edge of many crowns.

Recent breakthroughs in adhesives, combined with the development of stronger porcelain materials, allow us to make crowns entirely out of porcelain.  All porcelain crowns maintain a translucency that makes them hard to tell from natural teeth.  Without metal, the problem of a dark line at the edge of the gums is eliminated.   This allows us to place the edge of the crown above the gum line, and that’s healthier for your tooth and gums.

Many people have unexplained pain from cavity filled back teeth.  This is sometimes due to hairline cracks in the chewing part of the tooth. Placing crowns on these teeth can help to relieve the pain and allow a return of full dental function for these teeth. In front teeth, older fillings can both weaken the teeth and cause appearance problems due to staining or chipping. Porcelain crowns are suitable in cases where porcelain veneers may not be. In teeth with root canal fillings, crowns can prevent breakage.

Fitting a crown can require two office visits. On your first visit, we will remove the decay, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown.  On your next visit, we will remove the temporary crown, and then fit and adjust the final crown.  Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you will have a new beautiful looking tooth.

Also, thanks to modern digital technology at McGue Dental Care, we can provide many crowns in just one office visit.  First, Dr. McGue will prepare and shape your tooth for the restoration.  He then takes a digital image using a special infrared camera that records the tooth’s exact dimensions directly into a CAD/CAM computer.  Next he carefully designs and mills the custom restoration right in our office.  Your new custom-fitted crown is then cemented in place.   The entire procedure can be done in about 1 hour.

Contact McGue Dental Care today to schedule an appointment!