A crown is a tooth shaped cover which fits over the existing structure of your natural tooth to protect and restore the tooth’s function.

Crowns can be used to:

• Strengthen teeth which have been weakened by decay or a large filling.
• Protect fractured, cracked and worn teeth.
• Improve the shape, alignment and shade of a tooth.
• After root canal treatment, to help strengthen the tooth.

Each crown is individually handcrafted by our dental technician to create a healthy, natural look.

Crowns can be made using the following materials – all metal (often gold) or tooth coloured crowns such as porcelain fused to metal (often gold or a gold alloy), full ceramic (porcelain) or composite (plastic with glass particles embedded). The material used will depend on why you are having the crown.

Whether you choose to have a crown to improve the shape and alignment of your teeth or to strengthen your tooth, the procedure is the same.

Two appointments are necessary, the first to prepare the tooth for the crown and the second to fit the crown.

The Preparation Appointment

• pre-treatmentA local anaesthetic may be needed to numb the tooth and surrounding gum.
• The dentist will then shape the outer surfaces of the tooth, creating a cylindrical shape onto which the crown will seat.
• An impression (mould) is taken of your teeth using special dental “putty” generally made from silicone. The putty is placed into an impression tray; which is then inserted into your mouth and pushed over your teeth in order to take an impression.
• Once the dental putty is set, the impression during treatment will be removed. An impression is also taken of the opposing teeth, so the technician can see how you bite together.
• A temporary crown will be cemented onto the prepared tooth to protect it whilst your crown is being fabricated.
• The impression will be sent to the Dental Laboratory where our technician will handcraft your crown. This will take between two and three weeks.

completion

The “Fitting” Appointment

A local anaesthetic may be need to numb the tooth and surrounding gum

• The temporary crown will be removed and the tooth will be washed to remove the temporary cement.
• The dentist will then try in your new crown, making sure that it fits correctly and that you are happy with the appearance. The crown will then be permanently cemented in place. The bite is checked carefully and may need minor adjustments.

Fourpeaks Dental has long strived to deliver high quality treatment to all our patients. Part of the journey is keeping up with ever improving technology, introducing German engineered CADCAM (Computer-Aided-Design Computer-Aided-Milling) right here in Masterton. This world class intra-oral scanner, Primescan, meets the Wairarapa for the first time. The Primescan avoids the discomfort of traditional impression materials in the mouth in exchange for a more accurate, faster and comfortable digital impression.

The introduction of a milling unit, CEREC, right on the premise means we can design strong ceramic restorations and “3D print” via milling on the same day. CEREC has trialled history of nearly 30 years and the MCX mill is the latest version. Previously we were only able to offer filling materials (amalgam or composite) which do not add strength to the teeth, now we can offer long lasting strong ceramic restorations and crowns in just one visit.

Precise fit

With digital measurements of the tooth, the bite, and in-house designing of the restorations it is a predictable and precise fit. Ceramics are generally biomimetic, meaning they are natural in appearance for any cosmetic improvements, also compress and expand like natural tooth preventing cracking to ensure longevity.

What does it all mean?

• No more temporary crowns
• Fewer appointments
• Fewer injections
• Less drilling
• No more messy impressions or ‘moulds’
• One-visit strengthening ceramic restorations (crowns, inlays & onlays)
• One-visit smile makeover (veneers)
• One-visit tooth addition (bridge)