Dental crowns are essentially hollow, tooth-shaped caps that fit over natural teeth. To ensure a snug fit, the natural tooth must be filed down slightly, but it does not have to be extracted. Crowns can both protect and preserve your smile. Here’s how to tell if you need one.

How to Tell If It’s Time to Get a Dental Crown

1. Prevent Further Decay

Some cavities are simply too large for fillings. If you have a tooth with extensive decay, slipping a dental crown over it will preserve your smile. 

2. Secure a Bridge

Bridges are artificial teeth that are anchored to natural teeth using dental crowns. If you have a single missing molar, your dentist may recommend a bridge comprised of one artificial tooth and two caps on either side. 

3. Cover an Implant

Crowns are a critical component of dental implants. After the titanium root is secured in the jawbone, a dentist will cap it with a crown that matches your natural teeth. 

4. Protect Damaged Teeth

If you have a tooth that is chipped, cracked, fractured, or otherwise worn down, inserting a crown can both preserve and restore it. Although these teeth may not necessarily need to be extracted, protecting them will prevent further damage. 

5. Protect Vulnerable Teeth

Teeth that have undergone root canal treatments are more vulnerable to damage. Drilling down into the root of a tooth affects its structural integrity, so it should be topped off with a crown. 

6. Improve Your Smile

Both professional whitening and veneers can brighten your entire smile. If you have a single tooth that is stained, discolored, or even misshapen, a crown can fix the issue.