A crown is a permanent covering designed to fit over a tooth that is decayed, damaged or cracked, that cannot be easily restored with a filling. Generally, a crown is placed on a tooth following a root canal. However, crowns can also be placed on implants to replace missing teeth. Crowns are made of gold or porcelain fused to gold, as well as porcelain. Porcelain generally has the most natural appearance, although it is often less durable.
Once the procedure is completed, proper dental hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing, is required to maintain healthy, bacteria-free teeth, gums and crowns. This helps in the prevention of gum disease. Given proper care, crowns can last a lifetime.