A crown is a dental appliance that replaces and covers the entire part of a tooth above the gum line. A crown may be made of gold, porcelain, or a combination of other man-made materials.
Crowns are used to:
- Repair teeth that have broken or decayed so much that they can no longer be treated with a filling.
- Improve the appearance of front permanent teeth (incisors) that are properly spaced but are rotated and look crooked.
Crowns may be applied after a root canal treatment to seal the tooth and prevent it from breaking.
Author:Jeannette Curtis
Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Medical Review:Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Last Updated: 05/25/2007
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