Broken a tooth and want it covered? This is a dental crown.
A crown, or cap, is made to fit your tooth and covers all of it once the tooth has been trimmed, giving back its shape and helping protect it as you chew. It suits a badly broken tooth, one with a filling too big for what is left of it, or one weakened after a root canal, and it also goes on an implant or forms part of a bridge, and the examination decides whether you need one at all.
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What a crown is, and who it suits
We call it a crown; many people call it a cap. They are the same thing. The idea: a tooth with little of it left cannot carry a large filling from the inside, because its walls have become thin. So instead of patching it from within, it is covered from outside: the crown holds all of it together, and the force of chewing is spread across the whole tooth instead of landing on one thin wall.
For the crown to fit without ending up wider than its neighbours or higher than your bite, the tooth is trimmed on every side by the thickness of the crown, and that trimming does not grow back. That is why a crown is not the first option for every broken tooth. It is for the tooth that really needs one.
Who it suits
- A badly broken tooth or molar. A large break, or a wall of a molar that came away while you were eating. If enough of the tooth is left above the gum, a crown gives it back its shape and helps protect it from breaking again.
- A large filling the tooth can no longer carry. When the filling becomes bigger than the tooth around it, the walls that remain thin out and can crack. At that point a bigger filling does not solve it, and a crown holds the whole tooth together.
- After a root canal, if the tooth has been weakened. A molar after a root canal usually needs a crown to cover it and spread the load, while a front tooth is sometimes fine with a filling.
- On top of an implant. The implant is a root in the bone; the tooth you see and eat with is a crown made to measure on top of it, to the shape of your mouth and the colour of your teeth. Dental implants.
- As part of a bridge. A fixed bridge is an artificial tooth that fills a gap, carried by two crowns on the teeth either side of it, all in one piece. When a bridge and when an implant: Implant or bridge: what actually differs.
The cost is discussed after the examination, not over the phone or by email, and what decides it is explained on What decides the cost of your treatment.
When a crown, and when not
Not every broken tooth needs a crown. There are three ways to restore a tooth, and each one takes a different amount from it:
- A filling fills the place of decay or a small break from inside the tooth, and the tooth's own walls keep carrying the load, so it works when plenty of the tooth is left.
- A veneer is a thin shell bonded to the front face of the tooth only, for colour and shape on front teeth, and in most cases it needs a thin layer trimmed from that face.
- A crown trims the tooth on every side and covers all of it, for a tooth that can no longer carry a filling or needs protecting from breaking.
The principle we work by: the least trimming that solves the problem. If a filling is enough, there is no reason to trim the whole tooth. And if the tooth really is weak, a bigger filling puts the problem off without solving it. Which one your tooth needs, we tell you at the examination, with the reason.
The difference between a veneer and a crown in detail: The downsides of veneers, before you decide.
And when a crown is not the answer
- Nothing left of the tooth to build on. A crown needs a tooth to hold on to. Decay that has eaten the tooth down below the gum, or a broken root, can make extraction the choice, with a replacement after it. How that is decided: Extraction or root canal: how it is decided.
- Decay or inflammation that has not been treated yet. The decay is cleaned out, an inflamed nerve is treated, inflamed gums are brought under control, and then the crown. A crown over a problem hides it until it grows. The crown is postponed, not ruled out.
- Only a small break or an old filling. If the tooth is still strong, a new filling is enough, and trimming the whole tooth for a small break is a loss that does not come back.
- Only the colour. If the problem is colour and the tooth is healthy, whitening trims nothing, and a crown is the last rung of the ladder, not the first.
Crowns on baby teeth are a different matter, with different materials and a different approach, and they are discussed at your child's examination. About children's visits: Children's dentistry.
Types of crown: what a crown is made of
Crowns are made from three families of material, and each has its place. The brand name is not what decides:
- Porcelain (ceramic). Among the closest in look to a natural tooth, because light passes through it much as it passes through enamel, which is why it is often asked for on front teeth that show. But some types are weaker under the load on back molars and under grinding.
- Zirconia. A strong ceramic material in tooth colour that stands up to chewing, which is why it is often used on back molars, and some types are made for front teeth too. But some types are less translucent than porcelain.
- Porcelain fused to metal. A metal base on the inside, covered on the outside with tooth-coloured porcelain: strong, and in use for a long time. But the metal can show as a dark line at the edge of the gum, especially if the gum recedes, and that matters more on a front tooth than a back one.
So the question is not which material is “strongest” or “nicest” on its own. The question is: where is this tooth in your mouth, how much does it show when you smile, how much load does it take, do you grind, and how much of it is left. A front tooth needs to look natural; a back tooth needs strength for chewing. The material is chosen for where the tooth sits and how you bite, and the doctor explains why this one and not that one.
The colour of a crown is fixed, and whitening does not change it. So if you want your teeth lighter, whitening comes before a front crown, not after, and the shade of the crown is chosen to match your new colour. And the cost of the material is discussed after the examination, because the material is one factor among several: the factor cards on the cost page.
How a crown is done, step by step
A crown is usually not a single visit, because the final crown is made in the lab to fit your tooth. Here are the steps as they are, with no number of days attached, because we tell you the timing for your case at the examination.
- 1
The examination and the x-rayThe doctor examines the tooth itself, its gum, your bite and the teeth beside it. Digital x-rays are taken in the clinic when they are needed, because what decides cannot be seen by eye: how much of the tooth is left, the state of the nerve and the root, and the bone around it. After that we tell you what the tooth needs: a crown, a filling, or something else first.
- 2
A root canal or decay treatment first, if neededA crown goes on a tooth that is clean and settled. Any decay is cleaned out, and if the nerve is inflamed or dead it is treated first. If little of the tooth is left, it may be built up from inside before it is crowned, sometimes with a post in the root to hold the build-up. These are steps before the crown, and the examination and x-ray are there so you know about them from the start. If something shows up during the work, you will hear why before we carry on.
- 3
Trimming and the impressionUnder local anaesthetic, the tooth is trimmed on every side by the thickness of the crown, so it fits without ending up wider than its neighbours or higher than your bite. Then an impression is taken of your tooth and of the tooth that meets it, the shade is chosen against your own teeth, and the impression goes to the lab.
- 4
The temporary crownUntil the crown comes back from the lab, you go home with a temporary crown that protects the trimmed tooth and holds its place, so the tooth does not become sensitive and the teeth beside it do not shift. A temporary is weaker than the final crown: chew on the other side, stay away from gum and from sticky or hard food, and slide floss out sideways instead of pulling it up. If it comes off, the answer is in the questions below.
- 5
Fitting and checking the biteWhen the crown is ready, the temporary comes off and the final crown is tried in before it is fixed: its shape and colour, how it meets the edge of the tooth at the gum, and how you bite on it. Any high spot is adjusted, because a crown slightly higher than your bite is felt all day and puts extra load on the tooth. Then it is fixed in place, you eat on it again from there, and the follow-up begins.
Drag and see: from a broken tooth to a crowned one
A crown on an implant follows the course of the implant itself, once the bone has knitted around it: How an implant happens, step by step. And anything beyond these steps, such as several crowns, is decided at the examination, and we tell you from the start.
The downsides and the alternatives, before the advantages
We go through the downsides before the advantages, because a crown is a decision that stays with you for years. These are the things to know before you book:
- The trimming does not grow back. A tooth that has been trimmed for a crown will need a crown for the rest of its life. If it chips or stains, it is replaced with another, not simply taken off. That is why a crown is suggested for the tooth that really needs one, not for every tooth.
- Sensitivity after trimming. The tooth may feel the cold, or feel tender when you bite, for a few days after the trimming or after the fitting, and it usually settles on its own. If it does not settle, or gets worse, you call.
- Decay at the edge. The crown itself cannot decay, but the tooth under it can, especially along the line where the crown meets the tooth beside the gum. If that line is not cleaned every day, decay can start silently and reach under the crown.
- A crown has a lifespan. It is not for ever. It lasts longer with care and less long with grinding, biting on hard things and neglected gums, and then it is replaced. So a crown is not a one-time decision. It is a commitment you come back to years later.
- It can chip or come loose. Porcelain can chip or break, and a crown can loosen or come off, especially with grinding and with biting on hard things: seed shells, ice, and opening packets with your teeth. A crown handles food, not tools.
- The tooth under it may need a root canal later. The trimming, or deep decay that was there before, can irritate the nerve, even years after the fitting. If that happens, it is treated, sometimes the crown is replaced afterwards, and the examination decides.
And the alternatives
The alternatives are written above, under When a crown, and when not: a filling if the tooth is still strong, a veneer for colour and shape on front teeth, and whitening if the problem is only colour. And the option people forget: leaving the broken tooth as it is. A small break can grow into one that cannot be repaired, and then the choice may become extraction instead of a crown.
And the advantages
- It holds a weak tooth together. It covers all of it and spreads the force of chewing across it, and that helps protect it from breaking more than a large filling on thin walls would.
- It helps keep your own tooth in place. A weak tooth under a crown can stay on its own root, with care, instead of being extracted and leaving a gap that needs replacing.
- Shape and chewing. Made to fit your mouth and match the colour of your teeth, so you can chew on the tooth and smile with it again.
And how long does it last? There is no fixed number, and the answer is in the questions below.
What to do from here, and when to call
- 1
If your tooth has just brokenKeep any piece and bring it with you, chew on the other side, and stay away from cold and hot if the tooth is sensitive. Do not try to glue it back yourself with any adhesive. A broken tooth with no pain can wait for an early appointment, but with strong pain or swelling, call today. What to do until you arrive: Toothache: what to do right now.
- 2
Mention grinding at the first visitDo you wake with a tired jaw? Has anyone told you that you grind in your sleep? Are the edges of your teeth flattened? This is the most useful thing you can bring with you, because it changes the material and the plan, and protecting your teeth from grinding becomes part of it from day one.
- 3
Had a root canal and it was never crowned?Wherever it was done, here or abroad, book an examination. A molar left after a root canal with only a filling, or with a temporary filling from long ago, is prone to cracking, and the longer it waits the higher the chance, and an examination with an x-ray shows whether it can still be kept and what it needs.
- 4
If you already have an old crownClean every day along the line where it meets the gum, with brush and floss, and do not miss your check-ups. An edge that has started to show, a dark line at the gum, or food that has started to catch under it should not wait for your next check-up: call this week. And if the crown was made in another country, bring what you know about it, the material and roughly when it was done. It can be examined here.
- 5
If you are in Amman for a whileA crown usually takes two visits with the lab in between, and more if the tooth needs something first. If you are in Amman for a fixed stretch, a posting, a contract, a semester, or you travel often, say so at the first visit. The visits are planned around your dates before you commit, as far as the tooth allows. And a departure date is a poor reason to trim a tooth: if the dates do not leave room for the lab and the fitting, waiting is wiser than flying out on a trimmed tooth under a temporary crown, and it is fairer to hear that before you book flights than after.
- 6
Book an examinationThe rest is in the card below.
When to call
A crown on its own does not usually hurt, so most of what happens with one is not an emergency. But some signs should not wait for the next check-up, for a broken tooth, and for a crown wherever it was done:
- Call today: a broken tooth or molar with strong pain, swelling or a fever.
- Call today: the temporary crown has come off or broken. The trimmed tooth under it is exposed and can become sensitive, and the teeth beside it can shift slightly into its place. Keep it and bring it with you, and do not try to glue it back yourself with any adhesive.
- Call today: the final crown has come off. Keep it somewhere clean and bring it with you, because in some cases the same crown goes back on. And do not try to glue it back yourself with any adhesive. If you cannot find it and think you swallowed it, and you have a cough that will not stop or trouble breathing, that is a hospital emergency, not an appointment.
- Call today: pain under the crown that is growing instead of easing, that stays after the cold or heat is gone, or that wakes you at night.
- Call today: a swollen gum around the crown, especially if the swelling is growing or comes with pain, pus, a salty taste or a fever.
- Call this week: the crown has started to move, a piece of it has chipped off, there is an edge you can feel with your tongue, or food has started to catch under it.
- Call this week: sensitivity to cold or to biting that has not eased after a few days, a feeling that your bite is high on the crown, or a gum around it that is red or bleeds when you brush.
Call and we will find you the earliest slot, and tell you what to do until you arrive. Before any painkiller, ask the doctor first, so it suits your case. If the swelling has reached your eye, or it has become hard to swallow or breathe, that is a hospital emergency, not an appointment. And if the clinic is closed and the swelling is growing or you have a high fever, go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Let us know as soon as we open. And if the pain is in another tooth, one without a crown: Toothache: what to do right now.
And who treats you?
The clinic has a team of dentists, Dr. Adnan Alakhras among them. At the first visit we go through the state of the tooth, its root, its gum and your bite, before we talk about any plan. His qualifications are on his page: Read about the doctor and the clinic.
Questions people ask
Does it hurt?
The trimming is done under local anaesthetic, and the doctor chooses the type and amount for your case. During the work you usually feel pressure, movement and sound, not pain, and if you feel anything you raise your hand and the anaesthetic is topped up. Once it wears off, the tooth may feel the cold, or feel tender when you bite, for a few days, and the gum around it may be a little sore; it usually settles on its own. If the tooth has had a root canal, it usually does not feel the cold, though the gum and the bite still can. If the sensitivity does not settle, or gets worse, you call. Any painkiller is the doctor's decision, not something to pick up on your own. If it hurts badly now and the clinic is closed: what to do until morning. And if fear itself is the problem, say so from the first moment and we go at your pace. When the visit is hard.
How long does it take?
Usually two visits, with the lab in between: one for the trimming, the impression and the temporary crown, and one to fit the final crown and check your bite. Sometimes more: if the tooth needs a root canal or decay treatment first, or building up from inside, if the crown needs a try-in and an adjustment before it is fixed, or if there are several crowns. A crown on an implant waits until the bone has knitted around the implant. The actual timing for your case is discussed at the examination, as an expectation, not a promise. And if you are flying in, tell us your dates before you book, so the visits are planned around them.
Are there payment plans?
Not at the moment. The doctor is looking into it and wants a trustworthy partner before he commits to anything. What you can do now: after the examination, talk to him about sequencing the plan in stages, the most important first. And the cost itself is discussed after the examination, not over the phone or by email. The full answer is under Payment and insurance on What decides the cost of your treatment.
Crown or veneer?
It depends on what you want to fix. A veneer is a thin shell on the front face of the tooth, for colour and shape on front teeth, and it needs less trimming. A crown trims the tooth on every side and covers all of it, for a weak tooth, a badly broken one, or one after a root canal. A tooth with a large filling or a heavy break usually needs a crown, not a shell on its face, and a veneer where a crown belonged usually breaks early. A crown always means trimming that does not grow back, and a veneer usually does too; the examination decides. The downsides of veneers, before you decide.
How long does a crown last?
There is no fixed number. The same crown stays for years in one mouth and is replaced early in another, and the difference is care and habits more than the material. What makes it last longer: cleaning every day along the line where it meets the gum, with brush and floss, check-ups and an x-ray every so often, protection from grinding if you grind, and not biting on hard things. What shortens it: decay at the edge, grinding, neglected gums, and missed check-ups. At the examination the doctor tells you what he expects for your own case.
My temporary crown came off. What do I do?
Call the same day. The trimmed tooth under it is exposed and can become sensitive, and the teeth beside it can shift slightly into its place, and then the final crown no longer fits the way it was measured. Keep the temporary and bring it with you, chew on the other side, and keep cold, sweet and hard things off the tooth until you arrive. And do not try to glue it back yourself with any adhesive. If you think you swallowed it and you have a cough or trouble breathing, see the emergency item above, under “What to do from here, and when to call”.
Do I need a crown after a root canal?
On a molar, usually yes, because it chews and its walls have become thinner, and the crown covers it and spreads the load. On a front tooth, sometimes a well-sealed filling is enough if plenty of the tooth is left. The examination decides, and we tell you what to expect before you start. Many of the molars that crack after a root canal crack while they are waiting for the crown, so do not put off the examination. Your tooth after a root canal: how it stays with you.
We suggest only the treatment you need, we tell you why, and we protect your tooth before we think about extraction.
Your next step
The examination. You come in, you are examined, and the tooth, its gum and your bite are looked at. After the x-ray, if one is needed, we tell you whether the tooth needs a crown at all or a filling is enough, what has to happen first, which material suits its place, and why. And you decide, in your own time, without pressure, whether you live around the corner or are only in Amman for a while.
Pages that go with this one
This page explains the procedure in general; it is not a diagnosis of your case. The decision is made at the examination, and the cost is discussed after the examination.