How Dentists Choose Crown Shape

Your Natural Tooth Shape Comes First

A crown on a front tooth should blend with the shape of your other teeth, so that the tooth being crowned is not overly square or unnecessarily narrow.

Most dentists will look to the teeth adjacent to the one being crowned for guidance on the shape, based largely on the position of the tooth within the smile and the alignment of the biting edges with the other teeth. They want the replacement tooth to look like it has always been there.

The Size Has to Make Sense

On the other hand, an overly narrow shape can result in a crown that looks unnaturally stubby, so the dentist will consider the amount of material that can be shaped within the available space before selecting the final design. This leaves little room for error.

Your Bite Has an Effect Too

Dentist takes your bite into account to ensure that the crown’s surface falls in harmony with the natural bite pattern created by the patient’s other teeth. As a result, the crown cannot possess any surface elements that encourage the patient to bite down unevenly, such as an abnormally high point.

If the crown’s surface is too high in one spot, the patient will most likely notice it immediately upon biting down, since one side will contact the opposing teeth first. No one wants to constantly be aware of one tooth for the next several months.

Front Teeth Crowns Look Different Than Back Teeth Crowns

Front teeth crowns will most often be designed to appear natural, as those teeth are nearly always exposed when one smiles. The shape of the biting edges will be important, as they need to match the shape of the adjacent teeth.

The back teeth serve a different function and must maintain a distinct set of requirements. Dentists take extra care when designing back teeth crowns since the shape of the biting surface needs to coincide with the patient’s natural bite pattern.

Smaller Details Can Make All the Difference

• Rounded edges can make a crown appear more natural, particularly if the adjacent teeth possess the same trait.

• Other teeth may dictate the number of angles in a crown restoration, though natural teeth tend to appear more realistic than their artificial counterparts.

• The dentist will pay close attention to your existing teeth since a crown design that does not complement a patient’s natural smile will appear obviously artificial.

• The dentist considers the wear of the patient’s other teeth since your crown may have to be shaped differently due to the uneven contact between the replacement tooth and the teeth next to it.

The Final Shape Was Not Chosen Arbitrarily

Dentist will consider the tooth in question, the adjacent teeth, and the patient’s bite pattern in order to determine which shape will appear most natural.

It is important to remember that crowns are not always shaped identically to your natural teeth, particularly if the dentist has to make slight adjustments during the shaping process due to the natural irregularities of the mouth.

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