All Services

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a custom-fabricated cap that covers a damaged, weakened, or heavily restored tooth. It restores the tooth's shape, size, strength, and appearance — and protects what's left of the natural tooth underneath from further damage.

Book a Consultation

Why crowns fail early

Most crowns that fail within five years fail for the same handful of reasons: the margin where the crown meets the tooth wasn't sealed cleanly, the bite wasn't adjusted before the patient left, or the underlying tooth wasn't fully prepared before the crown went on. None of those are crown problems. They're workflow problems.

Dr. Yeo's rule on crowns is the same as his rule on implants: precision at every step or don't move to the next one. The margin gets checked under magnification. The bite gets adjusted before cementation. The contact with the neighboring teeth gets floss-tested in the chair. The patient leaves with a crown that fits, not a crown that's been rushed.

When a crown is the right answer

A tooth that's cracked or fractured below the cusp but still has healthy root structure
A tooth with a large filling that has finally failed or undermined the remaining enamel
A tooth after root canal treatment — almost always needs a crown to protect against future fracture
A single-tooth implant restoration — the visible part of the implant is a crown
Severe wear from grinding where the tooth has lost vertical height
Cosmetic correction of a single tooth that veneers can't fix

When a crown isn't the answer yet

A small cavity that a filling can still solve
A purely cosmetic concern on an otherwise healthy tooth veneers preserve more natural tooth
A tooth with significant decay below the gumline that can't be cleanly margined — extraction and implant may be more predictable
Active gum disease — periodontal treatment first

Crown materials, in plain language

There isn't one best crown material. There's a best material for a given tooth, a given bite, and a given patient.

All-ceramic (zirconia or lithium disilicate) — the most common choice today. Strong, natural-looking, biocompatible. Good for almost every position in the mouth.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) — older technology, very strong, but can show a dark line at the gum over time. Still useful in some back-tooth cases.
Gold — the longest-lasting option, gentle on opposing teeth, but visible. Reserved for back molars when longevity outweighs aesthetics.

Dr. Yeo will recommend the material based on the position of the tooth, your bite forces, and what the tooth next to it looks like. Not based on what's cheapest to make or fastest to deliver.

Same-visit crowns vs. lab-crafted crowns

Some crowns can be designed, milled, and placed in a single visit using in-office CAD/CAM. Others are better made in a master ceramist's lab over two appointments. The choice depends on the case, not on convenience.

Same-visit crowns work well for straightforward back-tooth restorations where shade-matching to neighboring teeth isn't the dominant concern.
Lab-crafted crowns are the right call for front teeth, complex bites, or cases where a hand-stained, layered porcelain finish is what makes the restoration disappear.

Dr. Yeo will tell you which approach fits your specific tooth, and why.

The crown workflow

Consultation and exam. Confirm a crown is the right answer. Rule out the issues that would make it fail.
Preparation. The damaged tooth is conservatively shaped to make room for the crown. Done under local anesthesia, takes about an hour.
Digital impression. A high-resolution 3D scan replaces the old gooey impression tray. More accurate, less unpleasant.
Temporary crown. You leave with a temporary that protects the tooth while the final is being made.
Final placement. Two to three weeks later (or same-day for in-office milled crowns), the final crown is bonded. Margin, fit, and bite are checked before you leave.
Follow-up. Check-in at the next cleaning to confirm the crown and the gum around it are healthy.