Information for children

Fixing your tooth with a crown

Your broken tooth can be fixed with a shiny crown.

• The dentist will put 1 or 2 elastic bands between your teeth.
• They will need to stay in for one to two days.
• When the dentist takes the bands out there will be space for the crown.
• The dentist will choose the right size crown for you and fill it with cement.
• When the dentist puts the crown on your tooth you can help to get it in the right place by biting together tightly.
• Some cement will get pushed out. The dentist will wipe this away and you can rinse out your mouth.
• Your crown will feel a bit tight and may be difficult to eat on for a few days. Eat softer food until it feels comfortable.

Information for caregivers

Stainless steel crowns for primary teeth

• Stainless steel crowns are preformed metal crowns that are used to repair children’s primary molars.
• They are usually placed without needing to use injections or dental drills and so children often find them easier to cope with compared with having a filling.
• Decay is not removed from the tooth, instead it is sealed so it cannot progress.

How are they placed?

• Elastic spacers are often fitted one to two days before the crown is cemented, to make space for the crown.
• The spacers are then removed, and the correct size of crown selected.
• The crown is filled with cement and pushed onto the tooth, with the help of the child biting together.
• Excess cement is then washed off.
• The crown may feel tight and will be hard to bite onto for a few days. A soft diet is advised until the crown feels comfortable.
• You may want to give the child paracetamol or ibuprofen 30 minutes before the appointments to help with the discomfort of placing the separators and crown.

How long do they last?

The crowns usually last until the tooth is due to fall out, and then the crown comes out with the tooth.

What are the alternatives?

The decay in the child’s tooth can be repaired with a white filling instead.

This is likely to require an injection and removal of the decay, and more cooperation from the child.

Studies have shown that white fillings do not last as long as crowns.

Often people prefer the appearance of a filling compared to a metal crown.

What are the risks?

Sometimes the decay has already caused damage to the nerve of the tooth, and so the tooth becomes painful or infected and needs to be extracted.

This may occur before or after the crown is placed.

Please speak to your dentist or call NHS 111 out of hours if you have any concerns after treatment.