Most people know crowns as “caps” on teeth. The goal of any tooth restoration is to preserve as much tooth structure as possible. Small cavities can be fixed with fillings. When cavities get too large to be fixed with a filling, a crown becomes a good solution to restore a tooth. Very large fillings on teeth increase risk of fracture. Caps or crowns are effective restorations for large cavities because they cover the whole tooth, and reduce risk of fracture.
A lot of patients believe that teeth with crowns covering them cannot get new cavities. This is not true. New cavities can attack where the tooth meets the crown. When this happens, the tooth will need a new crown. This is why it is important to take care of teeth with crowns just the same as teeth without crowns. In fact, brushing and flossing becomes even more important to preserve teeth with crowns. If you have questions about crowns don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Chris Roebken; he’s a crown expert!