A crown is a type of dental restoration which completely caps or encircles a tooth or dental implant. Crowns are often used to improve the strength or appearance of teeth. Crowns are usually molded in the laboratory according to the specifications of the patient and their main function is to act as strengtheners for what is left of the original teeth. Due to the current widespread of cosmetic dentistry, many people are now going for crowns so as to improve the appearance of teeth.

A dental crown is used in different circumstances:-

1. To cover a dental implant.
2. To hold dental bridges in place.
3. To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down.
4. To protect a weak tooth from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth.
5. To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left.
6. To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down.

Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials; porcelain-fused-to-metal, ceramic crowns which have the appearance of porcelain and the strength are suitable for any position in the mouth, metal crowns which include gold alloys and other alloys. Compared with other crown types, metal crowns require less tooth structure to be removed and tooth wear to opposing teeth is kept to a minimum, they also withstand biting and chewing forces and probably last the longest in terms of wearing down with rare chances of chipping and breaking.

Dental crowns are usually formed in the laboratory and the treatment will usually require two visits to the dentist, during the first appointment the dentist will make an impression of your teeth and gums to assess the situation, a temporary crown may be placed as the permanent one is being prepared which will take one to two weeks for it to be later fixed using dental cement. The crown will appear very natural as it is molded to match the exact color of the teeth.

Dental crowns are usually relatively expensive but there are ways in which you can manage the costs, insurance companies usually cover the costs for dental crowns meant for teeth restoration purposes. Crowns usually last for a period of around ten years but how well you maintain your general dental health will go a long way in determining their lifespan.