How can we help you?
We want every patient who visits BMB Dental Clinic to feel completely confident in their dental care and treatments. For that reason, we encourage our patients to ask questions, and we've provided answers to a few of our most commonly asked questions below.
If you don't see your questions listed, we welcome your call for more information. We're always happy to provide help over the phone.
Crowns & Bridges
No, dental crowns cannot be whitened.
Yes. It can happen that the cement of a crown debonds over time and the crown comes off the tooth. In these situations, the best option is to take the crown to your dentist and let them assess the crown and the tooth. If both are fine, the crown can be recemented back on the tooth. If any of them are damaged, you will most likely need another crown to be made, with or without fixing the tooth.
No, getting a dental crown doesn't hurt. If the tooth is root canal treated then there is no nerve in the tooth, so you won't even an injection for the crown procedure. If tooth is still alive, your tooth will be numbed with a dental injection so that you won't feel any pain.
Teeth that are severely damaged, have large portions broken off, have undergone root canal treatment, or are aesthetically compromised often require a dental crown. However, the best course of action is to consult a dentist for personalised advice and guidance.
Generally, nothing happens to the dental crown. Of course, they can break or chip but majority of the time, what causes the failure is the tooth under the crown. As most teeth with crowns are badly damaged before placing the crown, this can shorten the life of the tooth even with crown on top. Overall, the healthier the tooth when crown is placed, the longer it will last. Teeth beneath a crown can still decay in areas not covered by the crown or may crack over time, especially if they’ve been root canal treated and are subject to heavy biting forces. On average, crowns are expected to last around 10 years or longer.
Crowns can be made from a variety of materials, which can affect the price. On average, they cost around $1800 at the time of writing this Q&A (2025).
There is no other treatment that can do the job of a crown - so there isn’t a direct alternative. The only other option which could come close would be a dental filling, which involves some compromise. For example, if a tooth breaks, usually the options are a filling or dental crown. However if the tooth is badly damaged and has had root canal treatment, a filling will not hold for long and is likely to fail. A temporary filling may be used as a short-term measure, but in the long term, a crown is still necessary.
Tooth loss can make it difficult to comfortably and effectively chew food, speak clearly and socialise with others. Also, untreated tooth loss can cause remaining teeth to shift and lead to a misaligned bite, dental damage and oral disease. BMB Dental Clinic is here to help you treat tooth loss and reclaim your oral health.
Dental Bridges ‘Bridge’ the Gap
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth, creating a lifelike appearance and restoring dental function. Bridgework spans the space left behind from tooth loss and usually necessitates three dental crowns.
Two dental crowns fit over healthy teeth on both sides of the empty space. These healthy crowned teeth are called abutment teeth and support the third crown that sits between them.
The dentist will create a bridge with more dental crowns to fill the space between the abutments if the patient has more than one missing tooth.
The number of abutment teeth a patient might need can depend on a few different factors:
- The number of missing teeth
- The length and size of the tooth roots
- The abutment teeth’s amount of bone support
- The location of the missing teeth
For instance, if you have one missing tooth, your dentist may recommend two abutment teeth; ultimately, the bridge would include three teeth.
Looking for a Dental Bridge in Mona Vale, NSW?
Dr Barak Moharrami is a skilled bridge dentist in Mona Vale who can help you restore your oral health and comfort. Our dental practice uses modern technology and partners with a local laboratory to engineer, design and place customised dental bridges and crowns.
If you have a missing tooth, we invite you to book a consultation with Dr Moharrami to learn more about dental bridges and your treatment options.
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped covering that fits over a natural tooth. Your dentist may recommend a dental crown if you have a decayed, damaged, or misshapen tooth. If you are unhappy with your smile or need repairs, our Mona Vale dentist customises dental crowns to enhance your smile’s natural function and appearance.
Types of Dental Crowns We Offer
Dentists often recommend non-metal crowns because they look like natural teeth and seamlessly blend in with your surrounding teeth. However, the crown you receive depends on your needs, aesthetic preferences and budget. Dr Babak Moharrami offers the following types of crowns:
- Full metal (precious and non-precious)
- Full porcelain
- Full zirconia
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal
- Porcelain-fused-to-zirconia
How Can a Dental Crown Improve My Smile?
A dental crown covers and stabilises a tooth, restoring its shape and strength. These versatile restorations can improve one’s oral health and aesthetics in many ways, such as:
- Treat severe or extensive tooth decay
- Repair a broken, chipped, or fractured tooth
- Protect a weak, vulnerable or brittle tooth
- Cover a misshapen or discoloured tooth
- Stabilise and strengthen your bite
- Cap anchor teeth for a dental bridge
- Attach to a dental implant
- Shield a tooth that’s received root canal therapy
Dental Crowns in Mona Vale, NSW
If you have a weak, damaged, or unattractive tooth, BMB Dental Clinic is here to assist you. Arrange a consultation at our Mona Vale dental practice, where our skilled dentists are committed to helping you achieve the healthy, beautiful smile you desire.
Each type of dental crowns have their pros and cons. Porcelain and Zirconia crowns are white/tooth coloured, which makes them more aesthetic, but metal is stronger and does not break. Essentially, gold crowns are considered the best as the wear resistance of a gold crown is the same as a tooth but unfortunately, they are not cosmetically acceptable these days. Zirconia crowns are harder than porcelain crowns but a bit opaque in colour. Porcelain crowns are very good for aesthetic areas like front teeth as they match the translucency of natural teeth. Sometimes, a layering technique is used which means we use 2 different materials in one crown. For example, this may be a metal or Zirconia layer under and a porcelain layer on top. This way, you have the hardness and stability of Zirconia or metal which isn't visible thanks for the external layer of porcelain.
Generally, the process is completed in two stages. The first stage, or initial session, involves preparing the tooth for the crown. This may include removing any existing decay, restoring the tooth with filling material, and reducing its size all around to make space for the crown. We then digitally scan the tooth and the surrounding teeth and send the data to a dental lab to have the crown fabricated. A temporary crown is placed over the tooth and secured with temporary cement.
The second stage takes place once the final crown is ready. We remove the temporary crown, clean the tooth, and cement the permanent crown in place. At this stage, we ensure the crown fits properly, the margins are sealed, the contact with adjacent teeth is tight, and the bite is correct.
Some dentists use in-house crown-making machines to complete the process in a single day. However, we choose not to do this. We prefer to have crowns made by a dental lab, as they specialize in this work and often achieve better results. Our approach is to focus on what we do best and allow the lab to do what they do best.