Crowns are dental restorations that fully cover the existing tooth. Dentists will recommend a crown over a tooth for a number of different reasons. If a tooth has broken, has a large filling, or has had a root canal, it may benefit from a crown. A crown is made in 2 separate appointments. During the first appointment the dentist will remove a small amount of tooth structure from the outer edges of the tooth (~1-2mm) and then we will take an impression of the tooth. That impression will be sent to a lab for the fabrication of a custom made crown. While the crown is being made in a lab we will place a temporary crown over the tooth which protects the tooth until the permanent crown returns from the lab. When the permanent crown returns from the lab the dentist removes your temporary crown, tries in the custom made crown, checks the fit of the crown and then cements the crown onto the tooth.