Dental & Skin Clinic, Royal Tunbridge Wells
Dental Crowns in Tunbridge Wells — Make a Damaged Tooth Strong and Normal Again
A crown covers a cracked, weakened or heavily filled tooth completely — restoring the strength to bite with it, and made to match the teeth around it.
- Treated by Dr Simon Azimi, GDC 81382
- Opposite Tunbridge Wells station
- Tooth-coloured, mercury-free materials
- Nervous patients welcome
If you've started chewing carefully on one side, you already know something is wrong
You've stopped biting down properly on that tooth. Not as a decision — it just happened. Something about it feels fragile, and you'd rather not find out the hard way.
Maybe a corner came away on a crust of bread, and the edge is sharp against your tongue. Maybe the filling in it is now bigger than the tooth left around it, and it's been patched twice already. Maybe you've had root canal treatment and been told the tooth needs covering, and you haven't got round to it.
Or maybe it isn't about strength at all. It's dark. An old filling has stained it grey from the inside, and it sits there in your smile looking like a tooth that has been through something.
Underneath all of those is the same quiet worry: that one day it goes properly, at the worst possible moment, and then you're not talking about a crown any more — you're talking about losing the tooth.
That worry is reasonable. A tooth that has lost a lot of its structure is genuinely more likely to split, and a split that runs below the gum often can't be repaired. Covering it before that happens is the whole point of a crown.
What it's like once the crown is on
You bite with it again.
That's the change most people notice first, and it usually happens within a day or two of the crown going on. The tooth stops being something you work around. You chew on both sides. You forget which one it was.
The crown is made to match the shade, shape and translucency of the teeth beside it, so on a front tooth the aim is that nobody can see where the work is — including you, once you stop looking for it. On a back tooth, the aim is simply that it disappears into normal function.
And the tooth is held together. That is what a crown physically does: it wraps the whole tooth in a single solid cover so the biting force is carried by the crown rather than pushing an existing crack apart. A tooth that felt like it was on borrowed time becomes a tooth you can stop thinking about.
Strong, comfortable, and looking like nothing ever happened to it.
Why patients across Tunbridge Wells come to us for crowns
One dentist, from the first look to the final fit.
Dr Simon Azimi assesses the tooth, prepares it, and fits the finished crown himself. You aren't passed between clinicians, and you don't re-explain the history of that tooth at every appointment.
A straight answer on whether the tooth needs crowning at all.
Not every damaged tooth needs a crown. Sometimes a well-made filling or an onlay will do the job and keep more of your own tooth. Sometimes a crown is being suggested when the real problem is underneath. You'll be told which situation you're in, including when the answer is "leave it and watch it."
The shade is matched properly.
Getting a crown to sit convincingly next to natural teeth is careful work — colour, shape, length, the way light passes through the edge. It's discussed with you before anything goes to the lab, not decided for you.
Built for people who don't like the dentist.
Plenty of crown patients are here because a small problem was left for a long time. That's normal, and it isn't held against you. We explain before we do, we stop when you ask, and nobody is made to feel foolish.
Two minutes from the station, at the entrance to Calverley Park.
A crown usually takes two appointments a couple of weeks apart, so being genuinely easy to reach matters more than it sounds.
Book your crown consultation
No pressure and no obligation — just a conversation about the tooth and what your options are.
What is a dental crown?
A dental crown is a custom-made cap that fits over a prepared tooth and covers it completely, restoring its strength, shape and appearance.
It is cemented permanently into place, so it isn't removable, and it is cleaned and used exactly like a natural tooth.
The difference between a crown and a filling is where the material sits. A filling goes *inside* the tooth and relies on the walls around it to hold it. A crown goes *over* the tooth and holds those walls together. That's why crowns are used when there isn't enough sound tooth left for a filling to be reliable.
Crowns can be fitted onto a natural tooth root, onto a tooth that has had root canal treatment, or onto a dental implant.
When do you need a crown?
A crown is usually recommended when a tooth is too weak or too damaged to be restored with a filling. The common reasons are:
- After root canal treatment. A root-treated tooth has had its inside hollowed out and is more brittle than a living tooth. Back teeth in particular are usually crowned afterwards to stop them splitting under chewing force.
- After a large filling, or several. Once a filling takes up most of the tooth, the remaining walls are thin. Replacing it with a bigger filling repeats the problem.
- A cracked or fractured tooth. A crown holds the pieces together and stops the crack travelling further down the tooth.
- Heavy wear. Teeth worn short by grinding, acid erosion or years of use can be rebuilt to their proper height and shape.
- A tooth that has broken. A cusp shears off, often on something hard and unexpectedly small.
- Appearance. A tooth that is badly discoloured, misshapen or stained dark by an old filling can be covered completely.
- To anchor a bridge. The teeth either side of a gap are crowned, and the replacement tooth is joined between them.
- To finish an implant. The visible tooth on top of a dental implant is a crown.
What are dental crowns made of?
Crowns are made from porcelain, ceramic, zirconia, porcelain bonded to a metal base, or full metal. Each has a different balance of strength and appearance, and the right choice depends mostly on which tooth it's for and how hard you bite on it.
| Material | Appearance | Strength | Usually used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-porcelain / all-ceramic | Closest to natural — light passes through it the way it does through enamel | Good, but less suited to very heavy biting forces | Front teeth, and anywhere appearance matters most |
| Zirconia | Very good, tooth-coloured; can be layered with porcelain for a more lifelike front surface | High — the strongest tooth-coloured option | Back teeth, grinders, and front teeth where strength is also needed |
| Porcelain bonded to metal | Tooth-coloured on the outside, over a metal core. A dark line can eventually show at the gum if the gum recedes | High | Back teeth, longer-span work, bridges |
| Full metal (including gold alloys) | Metallic — makes no attempt to look like a tooth | Very high, and kind to the opposing teeth | Back molars that don't show, and heavy grinders |
How is a crown made and fitted?
The tooth is reduced slightly on all sides to make room for the crown, a mould or digital scan is taken, and a dental laboratory makes the crown to fit that exact tooth. A temporary crown protects it in the meantime, and at the second appointment the temporary comes off and the permanent crown is cemented on.
The preparation appointment is done under local anaesthetic, so the tooth is numb throughout. Most people find the appointment itself unremarkable — the noise and the sensation of pressure are the parts patients mention, not pain.
What is a temporary crown, and do I need to be careful with it?
A temporary crown is a provisional cover, fitted with a soft cement so it can be removed easily at the next visit. It protects the prepared tooth, keeps the gum in shape and lets you eat and smile normally in the meantime.
Because it is deliberately not cemented permanently, treat it gently. Chew on the other side where you can, avoid anything very hard or sticky — toffee and chewing gum are the usual culprits — and when you clean between your teeth, slide the floss out sideways rather than pulling it up. If a temporary comes off, keep it and call us; it isn't an emergency, but it should be put back on rather than left off.
Does having a crown hurt?
The tooth is numbed with local anaesthetic before any preparation, so you shouldn't feel pain during the appointment. Most patients describe pressure and vibration rather than discomfort.
Step by step
What happens, from first appointment to finished crown
Assessment
A proper look at the tooth, usually with an X-ray to check the root and the bone underneath. You'll be told whether a crown is the right answer, whether anything needs doing first, and what the alternatives are. You leave with a written plan and the cost on it.
Anything that needs doing first
If there is decay under an old filling, or the nerve is involved and root canal treatment is needed, that is dealt with before the crown. It's better to find that now than after the crown is made.
Preparing the tooth
Under local anaesthetic, the tooth is shaped so the crown can fit over it, and any weak or decayed structure is removed. If a lot of the tooth is missing, a core is built up first to give the crown something solid to sit on.
The impression or scan
A mould or a digital scan records the prepared tooth and the teeth around it, plus how your bite comes together. The shade is matched to your neighbouring teeth at this appointment — in daylight where possible, because artificial light flatters.
Your temporary crown
Fitted the same day, so you leave with a normal-looking tooth you can eat and talk with while the permanent one is made.
Fitting the permanent crown
The temporary comes off, the new crown is tried in, and it's checked for fit, colour, contact with the neighbouring teeth and how it meets your bite. Anything that needs adjusting is adjusted before it is cemented. Once you're happy with how it looks, it's fixed in place.
Keeping it
Brush twice a day, clean between your teeth including around the crown's edge, and keep up your check-ups. The crown itself can't decay — but the natural tooth underneath its margin can, and that is the most common reason a good crown eventually fails.
Fees
How much does a dental crown cost in Tunbridge Wells?
Realistic timeline: most crowns are completed in two appointments across two to three weeks. Cases needing root canal treatment or a build-up first take longer.
The price of a crown reflects the material and the laboratory work behind it, not just the appointment time. When you compare quotes, check what's included — some prices cover the crown alone and treat a build-up, a post, or the root canal treatment underneath as separate items.
It's also worth weighing against the alternative. Leaving a badly weakened tooth uncovered risks losing it, and replacing a lost tooth with an implant or a bridge costs considerably more than crowning it while it can still be saved.
Are crowns available on the NHS?
Prefer to talk? Call 01892 547286
Crowns vs veneers — which do you actually need?
A crown covers the whole tooth and restores its strength; a veneer is a thin facing bonded to the front of a tooth to change how it looks. If the tooth is weak, broken or heavily filled, you need a crown. If the tooth is sound but you dislike its colour or shape, a veneer may be all that's required — and it keeps far more of your own tooth.
| Crown | Veneer | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | The entire tooth, all the way round | The front surface, and often the biting edge |
| Main purpose | Strength and protection, plus appearance | Appearance |
| Tooth removed | More — the tooth is reduced on every side | Less — a thin layer from the front |
| Suits a tooth that is | Cracked, broken, root-treated, or heavily filled | Structurally sound but discoloured, chipped or uneven |
| Can be used on back teeth | Yes | Rarely — not designed for heavy chewing loads |
| Can be fitted to an implant | Yes | No |
| Reversible | No | No |
The short version: veneers make a healthy tooth look better. Crowns make a damaged tooth work again. If a tooth needs both, a crown does both jobs.
If your interest is mainly cosmetic, read our page on dental veneers, or ask at the consultation — we'd rather talk you out of removing more tooth than you need to.
Crown, filling or onlay — what's the difference?
All three restore a damaged tooth; they differ in how much of it they cover.
- A filling replaces the missing part from the inside and relies on the surrounding tooth for support. Right for small to moderate damage.
- An onlay is a laboratory-made restoration that covers one or more of the biting cusps but not the whole tooth. It sits between a filling and a crown, and it keeps more of your natural tooth than a crown does.
- A crown covers everything. Right when the tooth walls are too thin or too cracked to be relied on.
Where an onlay would do, it's usually the more conservative choice. That's a judgement made from the tooth itself, and often only once an old filling is out and we can see what's underneath.
Should I crown the tooth or have it taken out?
If the root is sound and there's enough tooth above the gum to hold a crown, saving it is almost always preferable — nothing replaces a natural root as well as the root itself. A crown is also the less expensive path when compared with an extraction followed by an implant or a bridge.
If the tooth has split below the gum, or the root is fractured or badly infected, a crown has nothing solid to hold on to, and removing it is the more honest option. You'll be told plainly which of these applies, and if a tooth can't be saved you'll be shown what comes next — dental implants, a bridge or a denture.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long do dental crowns last?
With good cleaning and regular check-ups, most crowns last many years — commonly quoted as five to fifteen years, and often longer. The material, the tooth it's on and how heavily you bite all affect it. Grinding your teeth, chewing ice and biting your fingernails all shorten a crown's life.
Does getting a crown hurt?
The tooth is numbed with local anaesthetic, so you shouldn't feel pain while it is prepared. Mild tenderness and cold sensitivity for a few days afterwards are common and usually settle with ordinary painkillers.
How many appointments does a crown take?
Usually two, around two weeks apart — one to prepare the tooth and take the impression, one to fit the finished crown. You wear a temporary crown in between.
Will the crown look like a real tooth?
That's the aim, and on front teeth it's a significant part of the work. The shade, shape, length and translucency are matched to your own teeth, and the crown is tried in and checked with you before it's cemented.
Can a crowned tooth still get decay?
The crown itself cannot decay, but the natural tooth beneath its edge can. That's why cleaning right along the gum line around a crown matters, and why crowned teeth still need check-ups.
Do I need a crown after root canal treatment?
Usually, especially on back teeth. A root-treated tooth is more brittle because its inside has been hollowed out, and covering it substantially reduces the chance of it fracturing later. Front teeth with small access holes are sometimes restored with a filling instead.
What happens if my crown comes off?
Keep it, don't try to glue it back yourself, and call 01892 547286. In most cases a crown that has come off cleanly can be re-cemented. Avoid chewing on that side until it's back on, as the prepared tooth underneath is unprotected and can be sensitive.
Can I have a crown on a front tooth?
Yes. Front teeth are usually crowned in all-porcelain or layered zirconia, because those materials handle light the way natural enamel does. Appearance is the priority there, and the shade match is agreed with you before the crown is made.
Will my crown stain like a natural tooth?
Porcelain and zirconia resist staining better than natural enamel and don't respond to tooth whitening. That's worth knowing in advance — if you're considering whitening your natural teeth, it's best done *before* a front crown is made, so the crown can be matched to the lighter shade.
Can I get a crown if I grind my teeth?
Yes, but it changes the plan. Grinding is one of the main reasons crowns chip or come loose, so a stronger material is usually chosen and a night guard may be recommended to protect the work.
Is a crown the same as a cap?
Yes. "Cap" is the everyday word for the same thing — the two terms are used interchangeably.
Getting here
Crown treatment for patients across Tunbridge Wells and West Kent
A crown normally means two appointments a fortnight or so apart, so being straightforward to get to genuinely matters. We're at the entrance to Calverley Park, directly opposite Tunbridge Wells railway station.
Patients come to us from Tonbridge and Pembury, from Southborough just up the A26, and from Bidborough and the surrounding villages. If you commute, the station location means the preparation appointment and the fitting appointment can usually be fitted around a working day rather than costing you two of them.
Get that tooth looked at properly
If a tooth is cracked, heavily filled or just doesn't feel right when you bite, the useful first step is a proper assessment — what's actually going on, whether a crown is needed, and what it will cost. No obligation attached to finding out.
Or call us on 01892 547286 — we're happy to talk it through first.
Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:15pm · Sat 10am–4:30pm1 The Lodge, Mount Pleasant Avenue, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1QY
Reviewed by Dr Simon Azimi, GDC 81382