Crowns / Onlays
Crowns and onlays are made from a variety of materials including gold, metal, porcelain or a combination. They are personalised to each patient and made in a specialist dental laboratory. Teeth which may be badly broken or have been heavily treated such a root canal treatment, may benefit from either a crown or onlay.
A crown (also known as a cap) is an artificial tooth used to completely cover a tooth in order to restore and protect it to its highest function. A dental crown is often placed following root canal treatment to strengthen the tooth and protect the remaining tooth structure, or when most of the tooth is made up of filling material. Patients often opt for porcelain crowns as they can be colour matched to the other teeth to achieve a natural appearance.
Onlays or inlays are restorations for teeth that have been damaged by decay or have severely fractured. Dentists will use an onlay to replace the tooth cusp and protect the tooth structure and mitigate further damage. Onlays only require the removal of the affected area of the tooth allowing minimal treatment.
