How do dentists make dental crowns look natural?

Doctor's Answers 1

The best way to ensure a natural-looking crown is to take lots of photographs during the documentation phase. These photographs are useful to communicate all aspects of what your other natural teeth look like to the dental lab technician who is the one making the crown for you.

Standardised polarised photography (for example, the e.Lab system) can help to make this process more predictable.

The main features of lifelike crowns are:

  1. How light/dark the crown appears compared to your own natural tooth
  2. The surface texture of the crown compared to your own natural tooth
  3. How much glaze is used to coat the crown surface: excessive glazing can result in a very shiny crown which can look artificial
  4. Internal characteristics required to blend in with adjacent natural teeth

A good technician will understand how to best match a natural tooth but it can be very challenging to get a perfect match. Good or really expert-level technicians do not come cheap, and this will be reflected in the fee for your crown.

You should be prepared for multiple try-ins of the crown to get the best final result possible.

Similar Questions

How do EMAX, Zirconia, and PFM dental crowns compare?

Emax is a brand of lithium disilicate porcelain. An Emax crown can be made in 3 ways: Pressing A wax pattern of the crown is converted into a mould into which a liquid mixture of the porcelain is injected under pressure. This method produces the best fit and is the most labour intensive. CAD CAM (Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Milling) Premade Emax blocks are fed into a milling unit and a computer-guided drill cuts out the crown from the block based on a virtual 3D design of the crown. The 3D design is made from a mould or a 3D scan of the tooth.

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Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

What are the criteria in determining the most suitable dental crown for my premolar?

1. Is it an upper or lower premolar? 2. Does the tooth have a large filling? 3. Will it be a full or partial crown? 4. Will the crown be bonded or cemented? 5. Is the tooth root canal treated? 6.

Photo of Dr Jaclyn Toh

Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

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