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Call us: 0115 647 9990
Mapperley Dental Studio · 870 Woodborough Road · 0115 647 9990
Protecting what is left of the tooth
Covering a weakened or heavily restored tooth so it can take normal biting forces without fracturing.
A crown is a custom-made cap fitted over the whole tooth. It is usually recommended where a filling would not be strong enough, particularly after root canal treatment or a significant fracture.
Crowns and veneersFrom £768
Fully private practice, no long waiting list
Early, late and weekend appointments available
Booked in advance, subject to availability
Membership plans from £14.10 a month
The straight answer
A dental crown is a custom-made cap that covers the whole visible part of a tooth. The tooth is shaped, a digital scan is taken and a laboratory makes the crown to fit precisely. It is then bonded or cemented in place. Crowns restore shape and appearance and protect weakened teeth from fracturing.
After root canal treatment on a back tooth, where a tooth has fractured or has a very large filling, where repeated restoration has left little sound structure, or to hold a bridge in place.
Enamel and any failing restoration are removed to create space for the crown. A temporary crown protects the tooth while the laboratory makes the permanent one. At the fit appointment it is checked for fit, contact, shade and bite before being cemented.
A crown protects the remaining tooth but does not make it invulnerable. The tooth underneath can still decay at the margin, and the crown itself will eventually need replacing.
Why patients come to us
Root-treated back teeth are more prone to fracturing under biting forces because tissue has been removed from inside them.
Practical outcome: the tooth is protected against the fracture that would otherwise be likely to cost you the tooth.
Where a filling occupies most of the tooth, the remaining walls are thin and flex under load, so each replacement lasts less well than the last.
Practical outcome: the whole tooth is covered and held together rather than repeatedly patched.
A cusp fracture often means there is no longer enough sound structure to retain a filling reliably.
Practical outcome: shape and function rebuilt in a way that resists further fracture.
What this treatment gives you, and the practicalities worth knowing before you book.
Suitability
Attend the examination and hygiene intervals your dentist recommends
Follow the home cleaning routine agreed with your dentist or hygienist
Tell us about medical conditions and medication, and about any changes
Your dentist will confirm whether this treatment is suitable after examining your teeth, gums, bite and wider oral health.
Step by step
The tooth is assessed clinically and radiographically to confirm how much sound structure remains and whether a crown is the most appropriate option.
Under local anaesthetic the tooth is shaped and any failing restoration or decay removed. A core may be built up first where a lot of structure is missing.
A precise record of the prepared tooth, the opposing teeth and your bite is taken for the laboratory, along with a shade match where the tooth is visible.
A temporary crown protects the tooth and maintains its position while the permanent one is made.
The crown is tried in and checked for fit, contact with neighbouring teeth, shade and bite, then cemented or bonded in place.
The crown and its margins are checked at routine examinations. Tell the practice sooner if it feels high or the gum around it becomes sore.
The first appointment is an examination and a discussion. No treatment is carried out without your agreement, and you leave with a written plan and costs.
Fees
Fees depend on what the examination finds, which is why the figures below are starting points rather than quotations.
One examination and one hygiene appointment a year, priority access and emergency support.
Two examinations and two hygiene appointments a year, priority access and emergency support.
Two examinations and four hygiene appointments a year, priority access and emergency support.
All three plans include priority appointment availability, a 10% discount on non-cosmetic treatment and eligibility for the Worldwide Dental Emergency Assistance Scheme.
Your personalised cost is confirmed in writing after your examination. The figures above are starting prices for guidance only. They are not a quotation and do not take account of your individual clinical needs. You will receive a written plan setting out the recommended treatment, sequence and cost. No treatment begins until you have agreed it.
Your dentist
Whether someone comes in for a check-up or a full cosmetic plan, the first appointment is the same: time to listen, a proper look, and a clear explanation of the options and what they cost. Everything else follows from that.
Dr Rupchhen Tamang, Principal Dentist
A general dental practitioner is not a specialist. The word "specialist" should not be used unless a clinician appears on the relevant GDC specialist list.
Comfort and aftercare
Preparation is carried out under local anaesthetic. You will feel pressure and vibration but should feel nothing sharp. Root-treated teeth may need no anaesthetic at all.
Impressions can feel bulky for a short period. Digital scanning avoids this where available. Tell your dentist if you have a strong gag reflex so the approach can be adjusted.
Temporary crowns are held with weaker cement so they can be removed. Avoid sticky and very hard food on that side and contact the practice if one comes off, since teeth can move and affect the fit of the permanent crown.
Sensitivity to cold for a period after preparation is common. Contact the practice if the crown feels high when you bite, if the gum around it stays sore, or if sensitivity does not settle.
Common questions
Where a filling would occupy most of the tooth, the remaining walls are thin and flex under biting force, which leads to fracture. A crown covers the whole tooth and distributes the load. Root-treated back teeth are particularly prone to fracture, which is why a crown is usually recommended after root canal treatment.
Well-made crowns in a well-maintained mouth commonly last many years, but no dentist can give a guaranteed figure. Longevity depends on your bite, whether you grind, your gum health and how well you clean around the margin. Assume it will eventually need replacing rather than treating it as permanent.
Crowns on visible teeth are shade-matched to the surrounding teeth and modern ceramics reproduce the way natural enamel transmits light closely. Matching a single front crown to natural neighbours is the most demanding case, and your dentist will discuss what is realistic before starting.
Yes. The crown itself cannot decay but the tooth beneath it can, particularly at the margin where crown meets tooth. This is the most common reason crowns need replacing, and it is why cleaning between the teeth daily matters as much on a crowned tooth as on any other.
Usually two. The first prepares the tooth, takes the digital scan and fits a temporary crown. The second fits the permanent crown once the laboratory has made it. Where a core build-up or root canal treatment is needed first, additional appointments are required.
Contact the practice. Temporary crowns are held with weaker cement so they can be removed easily, and they do occasionally come loose. Leaving the prepared tooth uncovered allows neighbouring teeth to move, which can stop the permanent crown fitting properly, so it is worth sorting quickly rather than waiting.
No. Crowns do not respond to whitening gel. If you are planning to whiten your natural teeth, do it before the crown is made so the shade can be matched to the final result. Whitening afterwards would leave the crown looking darker than the teeth around it.
Still unsure about something? Call the practice on 0115 647 9990 and ask.
Finding us
| Monday | 9am to 5pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 8am to 8pm |
| Wednesday | 8am to 8pm |
| Thursday | 9am to 5pm |
| Friday | 9am to 5pm |
| Saturday | Pre-booked appointments only |
| Sunday | Closed |
Patient feedback
Your first appointment is an assessment and a conversation. You leave with a written plan setting out what is recommended, in what order, and what it costs, and you decide what happens next.
