Why do crowns fail?

Crowns fail for all sorts of reasons. New decay in the tooth is the most common. This can occur because the crown leaks, letting bacteria in under the crown. As the years go by the gingiva can recede leaving more of the original tooth available for bacteria to work on. Also all porcelain crowns can crack and porcelain metal crowns can have the porcelain crack off.

How is a bridge different than a crown?

A bridge is used to replace a missing tooth. Usually two or more crowns connected to a false tooth are used to replace missing teeth. Bridges are made of the same materials as single crowns.

What are dental bridges?

A bridge is a way to replace one or two missing teeth. Basically teeth on either side of the missing teeth are crowned. A metal shell under the porcelain connects the real teeth with the fake teeth and procelain is used to make the new teeth look real. Sometimes a bridge can be made out of porcelain, but these tend to be more breakable.

How do I take care of my dental crowns?

Just keep the mouth clean so that the gingiva won't recede. Sometimes very sticky candy can literally pull off the crown. So avoid sticky caramels and other types of candy like them.

When is a crown necessary?

When a tooth is too badly broken to restore with a filling. Crowns are also recommended on posterior teeth after root canal treatment because the teeth are more breakable.

How do crowns work?

When there isn't enough tooth structure to repair the tooth with filling material, a crown is fabricated to cover completely the part of the tooth exposed to the oral cavity.

What are dental crowns?

When teeth have broken very badly, the only way to restore them is to place a solid cover on them. These crowns look like the original tooth and are usually fabricated by a dental laboratory. They can be made of many materials including gold, porcelain, and strong alloys.

How long will a crown last?

Potentially a crown can last a life time. If, however, the tooth under it has a problem, the crown might need replacement. Sometimes crowns on front teeth are changed for cosmetic reasons. The average lifetime of a crown is 8-10 years.