A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth — to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance.

A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:

1. To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
   
   
2. To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down

To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn’t a lot of tooth left