A crown (sometimes called a cap) is a full-coverage restoration that fits over the visible part of a tooth, above the gum line. It’s used to protect, strengthen and restore a tooth that’s too damaged for a filling alone, rebuilding its shape, function and appearance.
Your dentist or another clinician may recommend a crown to:
- Restore a tooth that’s heavily filled or broken down
- Protect a cracked tooth from further damage
- Reshape a tooth with poor form
- Cover a tooth with severe discolouration or staining
- Restore a tooth following root canal treatment
- Anchor a bridge replacing an adjacent missing tooth
- Restore a dental implant
Crowns can be made from a range of materials, including full ceramic or zirconia, porcelain fused to metal (PFM), and gold. The right choice depends on the tooth’s location, the forces it needs to withstand, and aesthetic priorities, and is discussed with you before treatment starts. Where clinically appropriate, more conservative options such as an onlay or inlay may be considered instead of a full crown, preserving more of the natural tooth structure while still restoring the damaged area.
For larger or more aesthetically complex cases, treatment is planned in advance to work out the appropriate functional and aesthetic contours for the teeth involved. This planning stage also helps identify any barriers to treatment, and whether input from other disciplines is needed — see our collaboration with other clinicians for more on how we coordinate care across a wider treatment team.
A specialist-led, collaborative process. At adelaideCAD, crown treatment is planned in collaboration with your referring dentist, and — where a crown is one part of a larger case, such as a full mouth reconstruction or implant restoration — is coordinated within that wider treatment plan rather than in isolation.
What to expect. Crown treatment typically involves preparing the tooth, taking an impression or digital scan, and fitting a temporary restoration while the permanent crown is made.
If your dentist has raised a crown as an option, ask them about a referral to adelaideCAD. Already been referred? Call (08) 8212 5294 to arrange your appointment.
