Southside Dental Group Brisbane offers patients the opportunity to restore their beautiful smile and enhance functionality with custom-made crowns. Southside Dental Group dental crowns are manufactured by local Australian labs and all patients will be given a certificate of authenticity.

Important facts

A crown (or cap) is a tooth shaped restoration that encases the entire tooth surface, and restores the shape and size of the tooth.

Dental crowns improve the strength and appearance of the tooth, and protect teeth that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations.

All custom crowns at Southside Dental Group are Australian made!

Why do I need a crown?

There are several different reasons why a dental crown is required on teeth.

At Southside Dental Group Brisbane we routinely use crowns to:

Repair and strengthen damaged teeth

Teeth with extensive decay or large fillings can leave thin, weak cusps that cannot support the pressures of chewing over several years (cusps are the pointed structures of teeth that take the load while chewing)

Reinforce a structurally compromised teeth

Restore endodontically treated teeth (teeth which have had a root canals)
Improve the appearance of teeth for cosmetic purposes (including colour, shape and even alignment)

Hold a dental bridge in place

Cover a dental implant

What type of materials can dental crowns be made of?

Crowns can be made out of:

Porcelain (or other type of dental ceramic)
All procelain / ceramic crowns provide the best natural colour match compared to other crown types and are more suitable for people with metal allergies. These crowns are commonly used to front teeth as they are highly aesthetic however are not as strong as metal or procelain fused to metal crowns.

Metal alloy (a gold or other precious, semi-precious or non-precious alloy)
Metal crowns are a lot more conservative than other crown types as less tooth structure needs to be removed. Metal crowns last the longest and can withstand any biting and chewing forces well. They rarely chip or break however the main issue with metallic crowns is the colour. Metal crowns are a good choice used for out-of-sight back teeth.

A combination of dental ceramic and metal alloy (porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns)
These crowns are the most common type of dental crowns used at Southside Family Dental. They can be colour matched to adjacent teeth unlike metal crowns and have the strength from the underlying metal framework. Sometimes the metal underlying the crown’s porcelain can show through as a dark line, especially at the gum line as the gums recede, however, this does take years to occur if the crown is created perfectly. These crowns are good for both front and back teeth.

How long will a crown last?

It would be reasonable to expect that a dental crown could last between 5 and 15 years. Depending upon the general wear and tear the crown is exposed to (chewing and biting forces, accidental trauma, tooth grinding) and how well you keep its tooth free of dental plaque, a crown can last somewhat indefinitely.

What happens if I don't get a crown?

If a crown is not placed on a tooth that has a large restoration or has been endodontically (root canaled teeth) treated the tooth could fracture and may need to be removed. Due to the minimal structure of tooth remaining on a large restoration and endodontically treated teeth, the biting and chewing pressures will cause vertical fractures in the remaining tooth structure.

The largest study of patients (over 1000) ever done on this subject found that a posterior (back) tooth was twice as likely to break if it was not crowned as if it were.

How long will the procedure take?

The crown procedure is split up over two appointments:

Appointment 1 (45mins – 75mins)

  1. Numbing the tooth
  2. Shaping the tooth (A specific amount of the tooth must be trimmed away. The trimmed tooth must have a specific shape which will help to insure the crown’s retention and stability.)
  3. Taking an impression of the prepared tooth
  4. Placing a temporary crown
  5. Choosing the shade of the porcelain

Appointment 2 (15mins – 30mins)

  1. Evaluating the fit and appearance of the crown
  2. Cementing the crown

What are the risks involved with getting a crown?

The risks involved with crowns are of a very low percentage and mainly occurs when there has been severe damage to the tooth already. These include:

  • Breakage of tooth during preparation
  • Infection of pulp or gums
    Whenever enamel is remove there is always a small risk that the underlying pulp may die and become infected. In this case a root canal treatment is necessary.
  • Pain and discomfort
    The gums surrounding the tooth may be injured and feel tender for a few hours after the procedure as the effect of anaesthesia wears off.
  • Altered feeling
    Since the shape of the tooth is altered, its feel and texture may be different and can affect feeling.

What is the cost of a crown?

Dental crowns $1,610 (Prices can vary depending on material and health fund benefits.)