Did you know that your teeth are protected by the second-strongest substance on earth? Although only diamonds are stronger than tooth enamel, your teeth are not invincible and can become damaged or severely decayed if not properly cared for. Unfortunately, unlike other tissues in your body, the structure of your tooth contains no living cells, which means once it is damaged, it cannot repair itself.

By choosing a dental crown to cover and protect your tooth, however, you can stop tooth damage from becoming increasingly worse, and eventually needing extraction.

What is a Dental Crown?

Often called a dental cap, dental crowns are fabricated tooth crowns that are placed over damaged or weak teeth to protect them from further damage. In some cases, a crown may be used to restore your smile by replacing a missing tooth, often as part of a dental implant restoration. Throughout the years, many have materials have been used, including bones and teeth from humans and animals in some ancient cultures.

Luckily, dentistry has advanced far beyond using body parts to replace missing teeth, and today’s common dental crown materials include gold, porcelain, and resin, among others. In some cases, porcelain can be fused to metal for an esthetically pleasing, but also durable, tooth restoration.

Restoring Your Tooth with a Dental Crown

Dental crowns can help address a number of different dental issues, including a tooth that has been weakened by decay or structural damage. When a tooth cracks, a crown can protect it from further damage. Sometimes a crack is severe enough to cause the tooth to split, and a crown can be used to protect and hold the pieces of the tooth together.

Also, some tooth filling procedures can require the excessive removal of decayed tissue, leaving little healthy tooth structure left. Placing a crown over the remainder of the tooth will also provide protection and restore proper function to the tooth.