Cracked Tooth? Call Your Dentist! There you are watching a movie, innocently eating your popcorn... Crack! Ouch! Uh oh? Was that your tooth? Time to call the dentist! What is a Crown? A crown is a covering that sits over the top of the tooth. Crowns protect, cover, seal and strengthen your tooth. When a filling just won't do the job, we often turn to the crown. There are many situations that may call for a crown: Large old fillings - When large old fillings break down, or get decay around them, the tooth often needs to be crowned. It is important to crown a tooth that has been structurally weakened to prevent further damage such as cracking or breaking. Cracked tooth – When a tooth is cracked, a crown is placed over the tooth to hold it together. If this is not done on time, the tooth can become sensitive or will eventually break. It is important to crown a cracked tooth before it breaks as broken teeth are not always repairable. Severe decay – If a tooth has decay so deep and large that a filling will not stay, or if the tooth structure is weakened, some dental work and a crown can often save the tooth from certain removal. Sensitive teeth – Teeth that are very sensitive, either from a lot of 'wear', or from receded gums, sometimes require crowns to seal and protect the teeth from further hot and cold sensitivity. Broken / Fractured tooth – A tooth that has broken may be too weak to hold a filling. A crown will hold the tooth together and prevent it from breaking again. If the fracture is too deep, Root Canal Therapy may be required before the tooth is crowned. Root Canal Therapy – A tooth that has undergone Root Canal Therapy will need a crown to properly seal and protect the tooth. Crowns (also called 'caps') may be the answer to your sensitive back teeth or the chip that your guilty pleasure just caused during the movie. Feel free to ask us about 'caps' on your next visit. The more you know about your dental options the more educated your decisions can be.