Dental Crowns are also known as "dental caps" or "tooth caps". When teeth are cracked, decayed, or damaged, crowns may be fitted onto them to restore their strength and recreate your beautiful smile. A crown is a protective shell that encases the entire tooth surface, returning it to its original shape and size. Crowns can be made from metal (gold or other metal alloys), ceramic materials (such as porcelain), or a combination of both.

Dr. Festa has many years of experience placing dental crowns. During your visit to our North Raleigh office, Dr. Festa will perform an examination of the damaged teeth. After anesthetizing the area, our dentist will reshape the tooth so that the crown will fit perfectly in your mouth. After attaining a precise fit, the crown is placed on the tooth. Contact our office in North Raleigh to learn more about the aesthetic and functional benefits of crowned teeth.

Full-porcelain dental crowns

Some dental crowns are fabricated in a manner where their full thickness is porcelain (dental ceramic). These crowns possess translucent qualities that make them more cosmetically pleasing than other types of dental crowns. Although porcelain can be very life like in appearance, the overall strength of all-porcelain dental crowns is less than other types of crowns. Porcelain achieves its objectives on front teeth, but due to the natural chewing and biting forces that humans experience while eating, all-porcelain dental crowns may not be the best choice for back teeth. Dr. Festa can assess your situation and provide the most effective treatment.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns

Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns are somewhat of a hybrid version of metal crowns and porcelain crowns. When they are made, the dental technician first makes a thin casing of metal that fits over the tooth. A porcelain material is then fused over this metal (in a high heat oven), giving the crown a white, natural appearance.