🦷 Crown
What it is:
A crown is a “cap” that covers the entire visible portion of a tooth above the gum line.
When it’s used:
- The tooth is severely decayed, cracked, or weakened
- After a root canal
- To restore a large filling that no longer has enough tooth support
- To improve shape, strength, or appearance
Key features:
- Covers all sides of the tooth
- Provides maximum strength and protection
- Made from porcelain, ceramic, metal, or a combination
Advantages
Where a lot of tooth structure has already been lost it is well tried and tested way to protect the existing crown of the tooth
Disadvantages
Further removal fo tooth structure that is greater than that of an inlay
🦷 Inlay
What it is:
An inlay is a custom-fitted laboratory made filling that sits inside the remaining crown of the tooth, without covering the cusps (the pointed parts).
When it’s used:
- Damage or decay is too large for a regular filling
- The tooth structure is still mostly intact
- The goal is to preserve as much natural tooth as possible
Key features:
- Fits within the tooth, not over it
- More conservative than a crown
- Usually made of porcelain, composite resin, or gold
Advantages
Where there is enough tooth structure left it is as durable as a crown and strengthens the tooth with a less tooth loss
Disadvantages
Where there is not tooth structure it can come away and in that case a crown may need to be done.
