When a tooth needs to be restored, a crown (or cap) can help preserve the structure of the damaged tooth. It can also prevent the tooth from shifting and creating misalignments. However, it’s important to choose the right color for the tooth crown so that it blends in and looks completely natural as if it’s been there all along. Choosing the right shade for a dental crown is a blend of science and art, and involves looking at many factors including position, texture, and color. This is why you should always have a dentist or prosthodontist do the selection for you.

Tooth Crown: Restoring Your Tooth’s Strength and Function

First, the dentist will remove a bit of the tooth’s surface to prepare it for the new crown. Then they will take a copy of the tooth’s shape, using either a paste or putty that’s pressed into a mold, or with a digital scanner. This is done to make sure that the crown will fit the tooth, and that it won’t affect the bite.

Next, they’ll find the best color for your crown by matching it with your natural teeth. This can be done with a shade guide, which is essentially a metal or plastic card that has rows of fake porcelain teeth in different hues. The dentist will hold the shade guide up to your teeth, comparing them and finding the one that matches closest to your enamel. It’s usually best to do this in natural light, as other lighting can affect the colors differently.