How a dental crown is made and fitted

Visit one: preparing the tooth

The first appointment does the groundwork, usually in about an hour:

1. 1/The tooth is numbed, and any old filling or decay is cleared out.
2. 2/The tooth is carefully reshaped into a slightly smaller version of itself, creating room for the crown to fit over it like a thimble.
3. 3/We take a precise record of the prepared tooth and your bite so the crown can be made to fit exactly.
4. 4/We match the shade to your neighbouring teeth, so the crown blends in rather than announcing itself.
5. 5/A temporary crown goes on to protect the tooth while yours is being made. Treat it kindly: chew on the other side and skip chewy sweets.

In between: the crown is made

Over the next week or two, a dental technician crafts your crown from strong ceramic, layer by layer, to the exact shape and shade we recorded. This is the hidden craftsmanship in every crown, and it's why a well-made one looks like it grew there.

Visit two: the fit

The second visit is shorter, usually 30 minutes or so:

1. 1/The temporary comes off and the new crown is tried on.
2. 2/We check the fit against the tooth, the contact with its neighbours, and your bite, adjusting in tiny increments until it feels like nothing at all.
3. 3/You get a look in the mirror before anything is final. If the shade or shape isn't right, say so. It goes back, not on.
4. 4/Once you're happy, the crown is cemented permanently and the bite gets one last check.

Living with a crown

A crown is cared for exactly like a natural tooth: brushing, cleaning between teeth, and regular check-ups. Well cared for, crowns commonly last 10 to 15 years and often longer. The tooth under the crown can still decay at the edges, which is why the check-ups matter.