Crowns

The decision is made by weighing up how much natural tooth structure remains alongside what you're hoping to achieve. A full crown tends to be the choice for teeth that are fractured, worn down, or left fragile after root canal treatment; thinner restorations are more often used for staining that whitening hasn't lifted, or for front teeth with a mismatched size or shape. Where the loss of structure is limited, your dentist looks at more conservative options first, such as a filling or an inlay/onlay. Treatment doesn't go ahead until gum health has been brought under control and any decay has been dealt with. A crown can be placed on a single tooth or across several teeth that make up the smile line; how many teeth are restored comes down to symmetry and colour matching.

The two approaches differ in how much of the tooth they cover. A crown wraps all the way around the tooth and includes the biting surface, so a larger area needs to be prepared. A veneer generally covers only the visible front surface with a thin layer and needs much less preparation. Which one is right depends on how much sound tooth structure remains, how the teeth meet when you bite, and the look you're hoping for. The two aren't interchangeable alternatives — they answer different clinical needs.

For a single tooth, preparation and the impression are usually completed in one appointment, with a second appointment needed for cementing the final restoration. The lab work in between typically takes a few working days. Where treatment covers several teeth, additional try-in appointments are added, which extends the overall timeline. Where in-house digital manufacturing is available, some cases can be finished more quickly.

On a tooth that's lost a substantial amount of structure, a crown aims to reduce the risk of fracture by wrapping around and supporting what's left. Because your dentist reshapes the biting surface, contact with the opposing teeth can be re-established on a more even footing. Where colour, size or alignment are mismatched, the aim is a more balanced overall appearance. A well-polished ceramic surface stays smooth and takes up stains far less readily. Where a tooth is missing, bridge solutions that draw support from the neighbouring teeth are made using the same technique. Comfort when speaking and smiling tends to improve in most cases.

A crown is an irreversible treatment — the tooth structure removed during preparation doesn't grow back. Sensitivity to hot and cold is common in the first few days and settles down in most cases, but if the nerve tissue is affected, root canal treatment can come into the picture. If the margin doesn't fit well, plaque can build up at the edge of the restoration, the gum can become inflamed, and decay can eventually start underneath. Ceramic restorations carry some risk of chipping or fracturing, and this risk rises noticeably in people who clench or grind at night. A bite contact left slightly too high can cause discomfort in the jaw joint and chewing muscles. Rarely, the cement can fail and the restoration can come loose. Removing a worn-out crown also causes some further loss of tooth structure. Careful planning and regular check-ups can reduce these risks, but none of them can be ruled out completely — which is why the possible outcomes need to be talked through in detail before you decide.

If there's active gum inflammation, advanced bone loss or untreated decay, your dentist deals with these first and holds off on the restoration stage. If an inflamed focus is seen at the root tip, an impression isn't taken until endodontic treatment has been completed. Where too little tooth structure remains to support a restoration, different solutions are considered instead. In young people whose jaw and teeth are still developing, permanent restorations for cosmetic reasons are generally put off until later. Uncontrolled clenching, an inability to maintain oral hygiene, and the active phase of certain systemic conditions also change the timing. In pregnancy, non-urgent procedures are usually postponed to a more suitable stage.

Because the dentine surface is exposed during preparation, you may feel some sensitivity to temperature changes in the first few days. Sticking to lukewarm drinks during this period can ease the reaction. If you feel a sharp pressure at one particular point when biting, your dentist can adjust the bite height in a few minutes. Let your dentist know without delay if you notice throbbing pain that lasts more than a few weeks, gets worse at night, or doesn't respond to painkillers — swelling or a feeling of looseness at the gum margin should be reported in the same way.

Brushing habits don't change for teeth with a crown — cleaning twice a day with a soft brush is still needed. Because the restoration margin sits close to the gum line, using an interdental brush or floss matters just as much here. Habits such as chewing ice, biting down on hard-shelled food, and nail-biting can crack the ceramic surface. If you have a history of clenching at night, wearing a protective guard reduces the load on the restoration. Abrasive whitening toothpastes aren't recommended, as they can dull the polish on the ceramic. Your dentist checks the margin fit and gum health at your six-monthly reviews.

There's no single figure for how long a restoration lasts in the mouth. The quality of the margin fit, the strength of the tooth underneath, gum health, how chewing forces are distributed, and your daily hygiene habits all have a direct effect on this. In someone who clenches their teeth, the same material can wear out sooner. If the gum recedes over the years, the crown margin can become visible, and replacement comes into the picture. Your dentist cuts away and removes the worn restoration, assesses the tooth underneath, and prepares it again if needed. Because every replacement means some further loss of tooth structure, extending the life of your existing crown is always the priority.