Crowns

If onlays are not used due to substantial tooth damage, artificial crowns or caps may be used. An artificial crown replaced enamel and some of the dentin of the natural crown of the tooth. Gold, acrylic plastic, or porcelain are most commonly used. The procedure is usually to remove the enamel and some of the dentin to below the gum line. Impressions are taken using plaster models involving both jaws to extend below the gumline of the affected tooth. The crown is fabricated in the lab to meet the model of the prepared tooth. Crowns are customarily used to restore individual teeth, but when adjacent crowned teeth are loose, such as from advanced periodontal disease, the crowns may be soldered together to permit stabilization.