Crowns, Veneers and Onlays
A dental crown is basically a tooth-shaped cap which fits snugly over the tooth and is used to restore, replace and improve the look of an existing tooth. It helps to restore your tooth to get back its strength, shape, size, and its appearance.
Crowns are made from either gold or tooth coloured material and the dentist will discuss the pros and cons with you. A crown will be made in a dental lab to match the colour and shape of your surrounding teeth. Each crown is custom made for each client and designed to look great and fit perfectly.
Two appointments are needed to fit a crown. The first is to prepare the tooth by removing any decay and then what is left of the tooth is reshaped to accommodate the crown. An impression or scan is then carried out and sent to the lab who makes the crown so that it will match the surrounding teeth. A temporary dressing is placed to protect the tooth until the next time you come in.
At the second appointment the temporary dressing is removed and the crown fitted and secured.
Onlays are great alternatives to conventional crowns. They are used when teeth are broken down or the filling is getting too large. Onlays can improve the appearance and strength of a tooth. They require less shaping of the healthy tooth and are therefore often preferred by some dentists.
Like a crown the process normally involves two visits, the first to prepare the tooth and the second to fit the custom made onlay.