10 Main Avenue, Moor Park
Northwood, Middlesex, London HA6 2HJ
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Moor Park Specialist Dental Centre

Dental Crowns

We offer both metal and ceramic dental crowns in Northwood.

What is a crown?

A crown is like a thimble that fits over the existing tooth. It can be made of metal or ceramic, or a combination of the two. Gold is the best material choice for long-term durability but many people find it to be unattractive. (We would recommend gold for crowns in back teeth where aesthetics are less important and ceramic crowns for front teeth where aesthetics are paramount).
Crowns protect teeth that have been compromised structurally by large fillings, root canal treatments or decay. They also allow us to improve the shape and colour of heavily filled or stained teeth and to rebuild tooth height that has been lost through advanced wear.
Research shows that the average crown can be expected to last for 8-10 years. This doesn’t mean that all crowns need replacing after 10 years; in fact crowns can often last considerably longer when well maintained and looked after.
Regular hygienist visits and a high level of home care are critical to the longevity of your new crowns. You will need to see the hygienist every 3 months at first and this may be reduced to every 6 months after a year if your home care is to a high standard.
All Moor Park Specialist Centre crowns and bridges have a warranty against mechanical failure (fractures of the structure of the crown) for 2 years. (This excludes fracture caused by trauma). All crowns have a warranty for 1 year against failure of any kind. Our warranties are conditional on regular hygienist visits and dental check-ups. If a crowned tooth requires root canal therapy within the first year you will only need to pay for the cost of the root therapy, we will cover the replacement cost of the crown.
The tooth is numbed just like for a filling. The old filling is removed along with any decay and replaced with a strong foundation or core. The tooth is shaped and then an impression is taken. The impression is sent to our skilled technician who will then make the crown. In the meantime, a temporary plastic crown is placed on the tooth. 2 weeks later the temporary crown is removed and the new crown is adjusted and cemented in place. In highly demanding aesthetic cases it may be necessary to visit the technician to custom finish the crown.
You may need to take analgesics after crowning treatment whilst the tooth settles down. Some people have discomfort and increased sensitivity for the first few days and occasionally for the first few weeks.
All live teeth will suffer some inflammation of the pulp (nerve) after being prepared for a crown. This is usually transient and the tooth will recover within a few days or sometimes weeks. During this time the tooth may be more sensitive than normal and you may need to take regular analgesics. Occasionally the tooth doesn’t recover and will require root canal treatment. On average 5-10% of crowned teeth will require root canal treatment in the first 10 years following placement of crowns.