Dental Crowns Adelaide

A well-made porcelain crown typically lasts 10–15 years, and many last considerably longer with good care. The main factors that shorten crown life are tooth grinding (bruxism), biting hard objects, poor oral hygiene around the gum line, and the quality of the original preparation and fit. At Lidums Dental, crowns are crafted in our in-house lab, which allows precise control over the fit and material quality, both of which directly affect how long a crown holds up in the long term.

The preparation is done under local anaesthetic, so you won’t feel pain during the appointment. Some sensitivity in the days after is normal, particularly to temperature, as the tooth adjusts to the new crown. This usually settles within a week or two. A temporary crown is placed between appointments to protect the prepared tooth while the final crown is being made, and this can occasionally feel slightly different to bite on, which is expected and temporary.

Modern porcelain crowns are designed to closely mimic the colour, translucency, and surface texture of natural enamel. At Lidums Dental, shade-matching is done carefully and the crown is crafted in-house, giving our team direct control over the aesthetic result. In most cases, a well-made crown in a visible position is indistinguishable from a natural tooth. Back teeth crowns are often made with stronger ceramic materials that are slightly less translucent but still highly natural-looking.

The natural tooth underneath the crown is still alive (unless a root canal has been performed) and can still develop decay around the margins where the crown meets the tooth and gum. This is why good oral hygiene, especially brushing along the gum line and flossing around the crown, remains essential. Regular hygiene appointments allow us to check the margins and catch any early issues before they compromise the crown or the tooth beneath it.

It’s uncommon but can happen, usually if the cement weakens over time, if the tooth structure beneath is compromised, or after trauma. If your crown comes off, keep it somewhere safe, avoid chewing on that side, and contact Lidums Dental as soon as possible. In many cases the same crown can be re-cemented if the tooth and crown are both intact. If the underlying tooth has broken or decayed significantly, a new crown or alternative treatment may be needed.

Not always. For smaller areas of damage, a tooth-coloured filling or inlay/onlay may be a more conservative option that preserves more natural tooth structure. A crown becomes the appropriate choice when there is not enough remaining tooth to support a filling reliably, or when the tooth is at high risk of cracking under normal biting forces. Dr Lidums will always discuss whether a crown is truly necessary for your situation, or whether a less invasive alternative would serve you equally well.