Dental crowns can be used to protect and beautify your teeth. Here are a couple of tooth-colored crown types and what you can expect when they are used:

All-porcelain Dental Crowns

Crowns that are made from all-porcelain are often preferred because they provide tooth-colored restorations. The color of the crowns can be matched to the hue of your other teeth. 

When an all-porcelain crown is prepared using traditional methods, an impression of your mouth is made, and the mold is sent to a dental laboratory, where the crown is fabricated. After the crown has been prepared by the lab using the impression of your mouth as a blueprint, it is sent back to the dentist's office. The laboratory usually requires one to two weeks to create the crown, so a temporary crown that is made of resin is installed until your all-porcelain crown is received. Before placing your permanent crown, your temporary crown is removed. The all-porcelain crown is then cemented into position. 

Same-day porcelain crowns are prepared using a different method. The crowns are designed from digital images that are taken of your mouth, so a mold of your mouth is unnecessary. In addition, a dental lab is not involved in the process. Instead, the all-porcelain cap is created by a computerized milling machine that creates the crown onsite based on the dimensions obtained from the digital imagery.

All-porcelain crowns may become damaged by severe bite pressure or trauma, so it is important to avoid chewing on hard substances, such as ice, hard candy, or fingernails.

Porcelain-over-metal Dental Crowns

Porcelain-over-metal crowns are also tooth-colored. However, the porcelain coats the dark-colored metal that lies beneath it. These crowns are often used because the metal is not as abrasive against the natural tooth material as all-porcelain is. 

Although porcelain-over-metal crowns are considered permanent applications, they are sometimes replaced over time because the dark border from the underlying metal may show against the teeth. As your gums recede due to age, the top end of the crown may be exposed.

Porcelain-over-metal crowns are prepared by a dental laboratory as traditional porcelain crowns are. Thus, you can expect to wear a temporary crown and wait a week or so between dental appointments before the crown's final placement. 

To learn more about dental crowns and to determine the best crown material for your restoration needs, schedule an appointment with a dentist in your local area.