A dental crown, or cap, is a type of dental restoration device used to cover up a tooth or dental implant at and above the gum line. A crown is essentially the new outside covering of a tooth. Dental crowns are usually implemented to strengthen a decaying tooth, restore a chipped tooth, or improve the overall appearance of a tooth.
Preparing a dental crown for a patient is a long process that requires two separate appointments. During the first appointment, the dentist will numb the patient’s tooth and nearby gum tissue with anesthesia. Next, the dentist will reshape the tooth. This requires taking off a thin outside layer of the tooth. This thickness will match the thickness of the crown so that the tooth retains its size later on. The dentist may also have to shave off some areas more than others to make it fit comfortably inside the cap, or in situations where the patient has a chipped tooth, he may have to build up certain areas.
