All-ceramic crownFront tooth crown · All-ceramic
- Same day
- Several visits
- Shaving
- All the way around
- Anesthesia
- Yes
- Between visits
- Lab fabrication
- After treatment
- Cannot be reversed
- Cost
- Explained after your exam
An all-ceramic crown shapes the front tooth all the way around, then covers the whole tooth with porcelain. It is used when a single layer on the front does not leave enough surface to bond to.
Even a badly damaged tooth can be kept. In return, a lot of the tooth is shaved away, all the way around.
It is used on front teeth that have had root canal treatment or are badly broken. If only the color is the problem, or the tip is just a little short, we first consider treatments that shave less.
Advantages of all-ceramic crowns
Takes the force for the toothEven when little tooth is left, the crown takes the biting force in its place. It is used when a single layer on the front would struggle to hold.
Saves badly damaged teethThe tooth is not extracted; what remains is wrapped. This is different from treatments that fill a gap where a tooth is missing.
No visible seamIt is made of porcelain with no metal inside, so no dark line shows through at the gum edge.
How all-ceramic crowns are done
Not a single layer on the front: the remaining tooth is wrapped.
- 01
We look at the remaining tooth
First we check whether there is enough surface to bond to. If the front surface alone is enough, we do not place a crown.
- 02
We shape it all the way around
The front and back are shaved all the way around.
- 03
We cover it temporarily
While the dental lab makes the crown, the shaped tooth is covered temporarily. You will need to come back one more time.
- 04
We cover the whole tooth
The finished porcelain crown goes on so that biting force is spread evenly. A tooth that has been shaved cannot be restored.
Choosing by how much is removed
For front teeth, how much tooth is removed depends on what you want to change. We start with the cases where nothing needs to be removed.
Nothing removed
This is when color is the only issue. If you like the shape and size but the teeth look yellow overall, there is no reason to remove anything. The tooth stays as it is, and we lighten the color inside it. Only the color changes, so any gaps or shape stay the same.
Added on top, nothing removed
This is when the teeth sit slightly inward or are small, so coming forward a little is fine. Without removing anything, we add a thin layer over the tooth. If you do not like it, it can be taken off. But the tooth becomes thicker by that layer, so we do not do this on teeth that already stick out.
A thin layer removed from the front
This is when the teeth already stick out, or the color is so dark that a thin cover will not hide it. We shape the front surface by the thickness of what will be bonded, then bond it there. Once bonded, the tooth is back to its original thickness. But a tooth that has been reduced cannot be restored to how it was.
Porcelain veneer
Removed all the way around
This is when a front tooth is badly broken, or little of it remains after root canal treatment. The front layer alone does not leave enough to bond to, and even if we bond something, the remaining tooth breaks first. We shape the front and back all the way around and cover the whole tooth so it takes chewing force evenly.
Do you shave a lot off?
Yes, a lot. To make room for the crown, tooth has to be removed all the way around.
Is it the same as a zirconia crown?
The way it covers the tooth is the same, but it is used on different teeth. Zirconia goes on back teeth that take heavy biting force; all-ceramic goes on front teeth that are easy to see.
How many visits does it take?
The crown is made in a dental lab, so you will visit at least twice. In between, the tooth is covered temporarily.
Does it hurt?
The tooth is shaved all the way around, so we use anesthesia.
Can it be taken off later?
The crown can be removed, but tooth that has been shaved away does not come back.
