Crowns

Whole tooth restoration to improve your smile

If a decayed or broken tooth is ruining your smile, a crown can make it good as new again.

What is a crown?

A crown is a full-tooth restoration that can improve your smile by changing the appearance of a badly damaged or discoloured tooth. It fits over the remaining healthy part of your original tooth, protecting it from further damage. Our crowns are made from a strong ceramic material that we colour-match to your other teeth. We can even use porcelain paints to reflect the natural patterns, shades, and markings in your teeth. The crowns we make are four times the strength of a real tooth and are stain resistant.

What do I need to know about crowns?

At Natural Smile Dental, we use computer aided technology (CEREC) to make our crowns. Get in touch to create and place your crown in a single appointment. At many dental clinics, crowns require two appointments – one to remove the damaged part of your tooth and take an impression of it, and a second to fit the crown. In between, you need to wear a temporary crown which can  fall off, not feel right, and can be difficult to chew on. However, CEREC makes crowns quicker, better fitting, and cheaper. Once installed, your crown will look and feel like a normal tooth, and with proper care, will last for many years.

What other treatments are available?

Depending on your situation, some of the following treatment options might be recommended to transform your smile.

An attractive woman smiles confidently, showing her healthy and strong teeth after a visit to dentist, Dr Dave Richards, of Natural Smile Dental St Heliers, Auckland.
The luxurious, clean, quality Natural Smile Dental clinic in St Heliers, Auckland provides dental and cosmetic services using advanced technology for a stress-free dentist visit.

Common questions about crowns

  • The process of getting a crown should be completely painless. The gentle dentists at Natural Smile will use a local anaesthetic to make sure the area they are working on is completely numb. Afterwards, your tooth or gum may feel a little sensitive, but this should wear off in a short time.

  • With CEREC technology, the entire process of placing your crown can be done in one session. We will take highly accurate digital scans of your mouth and prepare your tooth for the crown. Then we will use those scans to make a perfectly fitting crown right there on the premises while you wait. If necessary, we will make colour adjustments before cementing the crown in place.

  • A CEREC crown will, on average, last ten to fifteen years, but with proper care, it could last much longer – up to 30 years if you look after it extremely well. Ways to extend the life of your CEREC crown include wearing a fitted mouthguard if you play contact sports and not chewing on hard objects like ice cubes.

  • The porcelain that we use to create CEREC crowns is very stain-resistant, but it can discolour over time, just like your normal teeth. You can help to keep your crown looking like new by limiting your intake of highly coloured foods and drinks, especially things containing tannins like tea, coffee, and red wine.

  • Caring for your CEREC crown is just like caring for your teeth. Brush twice a day with a soft brush, floss daily, and visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and professional cleaning. With a crown, some of your original tooth may still be exposed at the base, so be sure to keep that area clean and free of plaque.

  • On average, a Natural Smile porcelain crown will cost between $1350 and $1950. The exact cost may vary depending on the condition of your tooth and how complex the crown is to fit.