Porcelain & Ceramic Crowns

A custom-made crown that caps a damaged, heavily filled or root-treated tooth to restore its shape, strength and appearance. The clinic offers porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and full all-ceramic crowns for the most natural, metal-free look, as well as crowns on implants. After the tooth is prepared and an impression taken, a temporary crown protects it while the permanent restoration is made and then cemented.

A dental crown is a tailor-made cap that fits over a prepared tooth to rebuild it when a filling is no longer enough — for example after a large cavity, a fracture, or root canal treatment that has left the tooth brittle. By covering the whole visible portion, a crown restores the tooth's strength, shape and bite and protects it from further damage, while being colour-matched to blend with the neighbouring teeth. Family Dent offers porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, which combine a strong metal substructure with a porcelain outer layer, and full all-ceramic crowns, which contain no metal and give the most lifelike translucency — a popular choice for front teeth and for patients who prefer metal-free restorations. Crowns can also be placed on implants to replace a missing tooth. Treatment usually takes two stages: at the first visit the tooth is shaped, an impression or scan is taken, and a temporary crown is fitted to protect it; the dental laboratory then makes the permanent crown, which is checked for fit, bite and colour before being cemented at a second visit. Where the underlying tooth is significantly broken down, a post-and-core build-up may be needed first to support the crown, and these steps are quoted separately. For visiting patients the two stages can often be scheduled within a single trip or split across two, and the clinic will advise on timing. A well-made crown, looked after with good hygiene and regular check-ups, can last many years.