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Dental crowns are required for your teeth when your teeth are broken down to the point where a filling or onlay will not suffice. Also called “dental caps,” they cover the entire exposed surface of your tooth. The main reasons that crowns are recommended by your London dentist are that your tooth has excessive decay or has had a root canal, making it more brittle. Crowns can also be made for your teeth for aesthetic reasons, but there are other procedures for aesthetics and crowns are usually the last resort. When placed on your tooth, the dental crown will be the new outer covering of your tooth, and can be fabricated from gold, porcelain fused to gold, or all porcelain. Your London dentist will discuss all types of crowns with you and what types of procedures are involved before beginning the crown process.Your London dentist will use local anaesthesia to properly numb your mouth when performing this procedure, After the decay is removed from the tooth, the outer layer (i.e., enamel) and some of the secondary layer (i.e., dentin) is removed using specially designed dental drills or burs. After your dentist is happy with the preparation, impressions of the tooth and the surrounding teeth are taking with dental putty of other material. Then an opposing impression and a bite registration are taken. A shade is then selected that matches the surrounding teeth. The impressions are given to the dental laboratory, along with the bite registration and instructions. The laboratory then makes your crown. This may take a week or two, so a temporary crown is placed and cemented with temporary cement. When the crown is returned from the laboratory, the dentist places your crown on your tooth, makes the necessary adjustments, and then finally cements the crown onto your tooth.