Dental crowns
Custom caps that restore strength and shape to damaged teeth.
- NHS and private
- Same-day emergencies
- Published fees
- One team, three practices
When You Need a Crown, and What to Expect
Most patients hear "crown" and think it sounds dramatic.
Read more: When You Need a Crown, and What to Expect
In practice it is one of the most common restorative treatments in modern dentistry, and one of the most predictable. A crown is a custom cap that fits over a damaged tooth, restoring its strength and appearance. Done well, it lasts 15 to 20 years.
We provide crowns in materials suited to different teeth and patient priorities, available on the NHS and privately depending on material. A standard crown runs over two appointments two to three weeks apart, plus a two-week review.
When a Crown Is Needed
A tooth needs a crown when too much natural structure has been lost for a filling to safely restore it. The common situations are:
Read more: When a Crown Is Needed
- A tooth with a very large filling, where the surrounding wall thickness has dropped below the threshold for safe function
- A tooth that has fractured or cracked, where the crack would propagate further without protection
- A tooth that has had root canal treatment, which leaves the tooth hollow and structurally weakened
- A tooth that has worn down significantly from grinding or acid erosion
- A tooth with extensive decay reaching the pulp
The dentist makes the decision based on examination and X-rays. As a rough guide, if more than half the tooth has been lost, a crown is usually safer than another large filling.
Crown Materials We Offer
The full range is available across our practices.
Read more: Crown Materials We Offer
All-ceramic crowns (e-max, zirconia) are the current standard for front teeth and increasingly for back teeth. No underlying metal, so light passes through the crown the way it does through a natural tooth. Highly natural appearance. Available privately.
Porcelain bonded to metal (PBM) is an older but still excellent design. Metal substructure for strength, porcelain layered on top for appearance. Extremely durable, well-suited to back teeth. Available privately.
Gold crowns are the longest-lasting crown material in dentistry. Biocompatible, exceptionally durable, gentle on opposing teeth. The main reason gold has fallen out of favour is appearance. Available privately.
NHS crowns are clinically excellent restorations using approved materials, typically PBM on back teeth and PBM or all-ceramic on front teeth. Covered on the NHS.
Crowns Across Minti Dental Group
We deliver crown work to the same clinical protocol across our practices, with the same materials and the same fee schedule, wherever you choose to book.
Read more: Crowns Across Minti Dental Group
The temporary crown fitted at the preparation visit holds the bite and protects the prepared tooth during the laboratory phase, so you eat and speak normally between appointments. Most patients book the preparation visit when they have a quieter day or two afterwards, since residual numbness can take a few hours to wear off.
What to Expect at Your Crown Appointments
A standard crown runs over two appointments, two to three weeks apart.
Read more: What to Expect at Your Crown Appointments
The first appointment runs 60 to 75 minutes. Local anaesthetic is given, then the tooth is reduced in size to make space for the crown shell. Impressions or a digital intra-oral scan capture the prepared tooth and the bite. A temporary crown is fitted to protect the prepared tooth and maintain function during the laboratory phase.
Two to three weeks of laboratory work follows. We use UK-based dental laboratories that meet GDC and CE-marking requirements.
The second appointment runs 30 to 45 minutes. The temporary crown is removed, the prepared tooth cleaned, and the final crown tried in. Fit at the margin, bite contact, shade, and contact with adjacent teeth are all checked. Adjustments are made before cementation. Once everything is right, the crown is cemented permanently.
We see you at two weeks for a review to confirm the crown is settling well and the bite has not shifted.
Crown vs Onlay vs Filling
For some teeth, the choice is between a crown, an onlay, or a large filling. The dentist will explain which is appropriate.
Read more: Crown vs Onlay vs Filling
A large filling restores up to half of the tooth and works where enough sound structure remains.
An onlay or inlay is a laboratory-made restoration that covers part of the tooth (more conservative than a full crown). Suitable where a filling would be too large but a full crown is more than needed.
A full crown covers the entire visible tooth. Required where the remaining structure is too weak to support a smaller restoration.
We do not over-treat. If a large filling is genuinely the right answer, that is what we recommend.
What Is Included
We provide all-ceramic crowns (e-max or zirconia), porcelain bonded to metal (PBM), and gold crowns privately, alongside NHS crowns where clinically indicated.
Read more: What Is Included
Private fees include consultation, preparation, impressions, laboratory work, temporary crown, fitting appointment, and the two-week review. NHS crowns are covered on the NHS and cover all clinical work within the same course.
Looking After Your Crown
A well-fitted crown lasts 15 to 20 years for ceramic, 20 to 30 years for gold, with proper maintenance.
Read more: Looking After Your Crown
The single most important factor in crown longevity is plaque control at the margin where the crown meets the tooth at the gum line.
Brush twice daily with a soft brush. Clean between teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes. Attend hygiene appointments every six months. Avoid biting hard objects (ice, fingernails, pen lids) on the crown. If you grind your teeth at night, ask the dentist about a nightguard.
Practices Offering Dental crowns
Nuffield Dental Practice
110–111 The StowHarlowEssex CM20 3AS01279 424 038Church Langley Dental
First Floor, Florence Nightingale Health CentreHarlowEssex CM17 9TE01279 306 690Enfield Smiles
195 High StreetEnfield EN3 4DZ020 8804 4320
Frequently Asked Questions
Book a Crown Consultation
If you have a tooth with a large filling, a fracture, or sensitivity that suggests structural problems, book an examination. The dentist will assess whether a crown is the right solution and provide a written quote.
- Nuffield Dental Practice (Harlow): 01279 424 038
- Church Langley Dental (Harlow): 01279 306 690
- Enfield Smiles (Enfield): 020 8804 4320