Dental crowns are a ceramic shell, covering a core of natural tooth. Their function is to provide strength and to restore natural beauty to heavily filled or worn natural teeth.

Before a tooth is ready to receive a crown, the dentist must first reduce the tooth in size, so that the crown can fit over the prepared tooth. The dentist will make an impression of the tooth and provide a temporary crown for immediate use, as it normally takes 3-4 weeks to make the permanent crown.

How long do crowns last for?

Although crowns have an average lifespan of 10-12 years, crowns can survive well in excess of 40 years in a mouth.