Dental Crowns in Chelsea

Why might you need a crown?

A crown is likely to be required if there is no longer enough healthy tooth tissue left to sufficiently hold a filling or used to cover and protect damaged or weak teeth. They can also improve the appearance of misshapen or discoloured teeth and act as protective sleeve which fits over your remaining tooth. A crown may also be placed as the final stage following root canal treatment, as this has proven to be the most successful way of sealing and protecting the tooth.

Crowns are an ideal way to repair teeth that have been broken, or have been weakened by decay or a very large filling. A crown could be used for a number of other reasons, for example:

• You may have a discoloured filling and would like to improve the appearance of the tooth
• You may have had a root filling and need a crown to protect what is left of the tooth
• It may help to hold a bridge or denture firmly in place

How shall I look after my crown?

You can treat your crown like a normal tooth. While it does not require any particular care, remember that it acts as a sleeve over the top of your natural tooth and so decay and gum disease can still occur without a good oral health routine. Keep up regular visits to your local Chelsea dental practice and remember to continue to floss around the tooth. When flossing, try to pull the floss through your teeth rather than upwards – sometimes pulling up and out can catch on your crown and contribute to wear and tear.  

If you think that you require crowns, or would like further information on the procedure, contact Chelsea Dental and Implant Clinic today.

How long will a crown last?

A permanent crown can last between five and 15 years, depending on your habits, lifestyle and oral care routine. Teeth grinding can put pressure on a crown, leading  to cracks and possible damage. 

What's involved?

Preparation time will vary depending on the condition of the damaged tooth. Your tooth will be carefully reshaped, to ensure that it can carry the crown. In most cases we will take a digital scan of the tooth. This is not only exceptionally accurate, but will also avoid the need for impressions to be taken, mitigating any discomfort. The scan is then received in our state-of-the-art digital laboratory where our team of technician’s use sophisticated computers to design your custom crown. These computers will then craft, mill and colour the crown to match the adjacent teeth. Treatment is usually provided over 2 visits. After the tooth is prepared and the digital scan is taken at the first appointment, a temporary crown is worn to protect the tooth for around 2 weeks while the crown is made.

What are crowns made from?

The application of crowns is one of the longest-standing dental procedures. We can date their use back to the 5th century and the ancient Etruscans, who used gold and silver to ‘cap’ problem teeth. Dental techniques have developed since then, and in today’s practices crowns can be made from a variety of materials:

• Metal, including gold alloy and other metal-based alloys
• Zirconia
• Porcelain
• Porcelain fused to metal (known as PFM)
• Porcelain fused to zirconia
• Ceramic
• Resin

Our plans & fees

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Our treatments

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