Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a precision-made cap that covers the whole visible part of a tooth, restoring its strength, shape and appearance. Where a filling repairs part of a tooth, a crown protects all of it — holding a cracked or heavily filled tooth together so it can bite and chew normally. At our Wimpole Street practice, every crown is designed digitally and hand-finished by skilled UK laboratories, then matched carefully to the shade and character of your natural teeth.

Crowns suit teeth that have lost too much structure for a filling to be reliable: teeth with large or repeatedly replaced fillings, cracked teeth, teeth worn down by grinding, and teeth that have had root canal treatment. They can also improve the appearance of a discoloured or misshapen tooth, though where cosmetics are the main goal your dentist may suggest a more conservative option such as a veneer or bonding. Suitability is always confirmed at an in-person consultation with a GDC-registered dentist.

An honest practice should also tell you when a crown is not the right answer. Where enough healthy tooth remains, an inlay or onlay — a lab-made restoration that covers only the damaged portion — preserves more of your natural tooth, and a well-placed white filling may be all that is needed for smaller cavities. We always recommend the least invasive option that will do the job reliably, and your written plan sets out the reasoning.

Treatment normally takes two visits to our Marylebone practice. At the first, the tooth is gently reshaped under local anaesthetic to create room for the crown, and a digital impression is taken — a small camera scans your teeth, with no uncomfortable putty trays. A natural-looking temporary crown protects the tooth while your final crown is crafted. At the second visit, usually one to two weeks later, the temporary is removed and your new crown is checked for fit, bite and shade before being bonded permanently in place.

Materials matter, and we will recommend the right one for your tooth. Zirconia offers exceptional strength for back teeth that take heavy chewing forces. E.max lithium disilicate combines strength with beautiful translucency, making it a favourite for visible teeth. Layered porcelain gives the most lifelike aesthetics for front teeth. All are metal-free, so there is no grey line at the gum as the years pass — a common complaint with older metal-based crowns.

Crowns are frequently the final stage of root canal treatment. A root-treated back tooth becomes more brittle over time, and a crown protects it from the fractures that are otherwise a common cause of losing the tooth later. If your dentist recommends a crown after root canal treatment, it is to protect the investment you have already made in saving the tooth.

Crowns start from £995 per tooth, with inlays and onlays also from £995. The final cost depends on the material chosen, the complexity of the tooth, and whether additional work — such as a foundation build-up or root canal treatment — is needed first. You receive a written, itemised quote before treatment begins, so there are no surprises at any stage.

As with any treatment, there are limitations to understand. Preparing a tooth for a crown removes some tooth structure, and a small proportion of crowned teeth later need root canal treatment if the nerve becomes inflamed. Crowns can occasionally chip or debond, particularly in patients who grind their teeth — where a night guard is often sensible protection. No restoration lasts forever, but a well-made crown on a well-cared-for tooth typically gives 10–15 years or more of service; longevity varies with bite forces and oral hygiene.

Caring for a crown is simple: brush twice daily, clean between the teeth, and attend regular check-ups and hygiene visits so the margin where crown meets tooth stays clean and healthy. Decay can still develop at that margin if plaque accumulates, which is why maintenance matters as much as the crown itself.

Nervous about dental treatment? You are far from alone, and crown appointments at our practice are deliberately unhurried. Your dentist explains each step before it happens, agrees a stop signal with you, and works at your pace. Because we use digital scanning rather than traditional impression putty, patients with a sensitive gag reflex usually find the process far easier than they remember from years ago. If anxiety has kept you away from the dentist, tell us when you book — we will build extra time into your appointment.

A crown is also an opportunity to think about the bigger picture. If the tooth needing a crown sits within a smile you would like to improve more broadly — perhaps alongside whitening, bonding or the replacement of older discoloured crowns — it is worth planning the shade and shape with that in mind, since a crown's colour cannot be changed later. Your dentist can sequence whitening before shade-matching so your new crown matches the brighter result, and will set out any wider options in writing without obligation.

Patients come to us for dental crowns in London from across the city and beyond. Our practice on Wimpole Street, near Harley Street in central London, combines digital impressions, careful shade-matching and genuine UK laboratory craftsmanship with transparent written pricing. If you have been told you need a crown — or you would like a second opinion on an existing plan — we would be delighted to see you.

Between your two visits, a few sensible habits protect the temporary crown: chew on the other side where you can, avoid very sticky or hard foods, and floss by sliding the floss out sideways rather than pulling upwards, which can dislodge the temporary. If it does come loose, contact the practice and we will re-cement it promptly — it protects the prepared tooth and holds the space for your final crown, so it matters more than it looks. Once the definitive crown is fitted, allow the cement its first day before testing it on anything challenging, then eat normally. Any high spot in your bite that emerges over the following days is a quick, simple adjustment at a short follow-up visit.