A crown covers a tooth rather than filling part of it. That is the whole point: it holds a weakened tooth together instead of relying on what is left to hold a filling.
The tooth is shaped, an impression or digital scan is taken, and a crown is made to fit. A temporary protects the tooth in between. At the fit visit, the bite is checked and adjusted — that adjustment matters, because a crown sitting high is a common source of soreness.
The trade-off is honest: a crown removes more tooth structure than a filling. It buys predictability against the risk of a larger fracture later.
A page can inform you. It cannot examine you.
Ask what makes a crown necessary in your case rather than an onlay or filling. There should be a clear structural answer.
General information reviewed by Mankirat Gill, DDS · August 2026. Not a substitute for an in-person examination.