LAVA Full-Ceramic Crown

A tooth-coloured crown that caps a damaged, heavily filled or root-treated tooth to restore its shape, strength and appearance. Materna Dental specialises in the 3M LAVA full-ceramic system, designed digitally from an intraoral scan and milled in zirconia for strength with a natural, light-reflecting finish and no metal. Metal-free ceramics suit front and back teeth and are a popular choice for visible teeth where appearance matters. Full-contour ceramic and porcelain-fused-to-metal options are also offered.

A dental crown is a custom restoration that fits over a whole tooth, rebuilding one that is broken down, extensively filled, cracked or root-canal treated and protecting it from further damage. At Materna Dental the signature option is the 3M LAVA full-ceramic crown, planned through the clinic's digital workflow: an intraoral scanner captures the prepared tooth without conventional impression material, the crown is designed on screen and then milled from high-strength zirconia ceramic. Because there is no metal substructure, light passes through the material more like natural enamel, avoiding the grey line that can appear at the gum with older metal-based crowns — an advantage for visible front teeth in particular. Treatment typically involves preparing the tooth, taking a digital scan and fitting a temporary crown while the definitive ceramic is produced, after which the crown is checked for fit, bite and shade and cemented. The clinic also offers full-contour full-ceramic crowns and traditional porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, and can place a cast post-and-core to rebuild a tooth that has lost significant structure before crowning. Well-made crowns can last many years with good hygiene and regular check-ups; the dentist will advise on the most appropriate material for each tooth based on its position, the bite and aesthetic priorities. Crowns are frequently combined with implants, veneers or a wider Digital Smile Design plan for patients restoring several teeth at once.