How to Replace Dental Crowns

A tooth's crown is the outer shell that covers the rest of the tooth. If a tooth experiences serious cavities or other decay, its natural crown may need to be replaced with an artificial crown. Replacement dental crowns are made from porcelain or a porcelain and metal composite. They are crafted in a laboratory based on a dental impression that is made from the remaining portion of the original tooth. A well-made, appropriately installed replacement crown can provide the patient with up to 40 years of service.

Things You'll Need

• Dental paring tool
• Dental impression material
• Dental epoxy

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Instructions

• 1

  Inject a local anesthetic in the area directly surrounding the tooth for which you are producing a crown.

• 2

  Shave off the crown of the to-be-capped tooth, removing all tooth decay.

• 3

  Take an impression of the prepared tooth. The impression provides an accurate depiction of the tooth's topography to ensure that the replacement crown accurately mimics the tooth's geometry. An impression is made using a rubbery dental material such as alginate, polyvinyl, or a polyether.

• 4

  Cover the shaved tooth with an acrylic temporary crown. This temporary crown is not durable but sufficiently covers the pared tooth and is safe for eating and drinking.

• 5

  Send the impression to a dental technician. The dental technician will produce a replacement crown that fits snugly over the prepared tooth. This replacement crown may be made entirely of porcelain or metal and is covered with a porcelain veneer. The porcelain crown can be tinted the same color as the rest of your teeth.

• 6

  Attach the porcelain replacement crown onto the pared tooth. Cement the crown onto the prepared tooth using a dental epoxy made of zinc oxide and eugenol. The replacement crown will set securely in place and may last for up to 40 years.