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.
Whether from decay, fracture, or an old large filling.
A crack is present
Full coverage binds the tooth against flexing.
After root canal treatment
Treated back teeth are often more brittle.
A failing large restoration
Repeated patching has diminishing returns.
Heavy grinding
Where load has already fractured cusps.
What the process involves
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.
What we can explain here — and what needs an exam
A page can inform you. It cannot examine you.
We can explain online
Why full coverage protects a weakened tooth
What the visits involve
Why the bite check matters
Determined after an exam
Whether your tooth needs a crown or something less
Which material suits your case
Whether a build-up or root canal is needed first
What to do next
Ask what makes a crown necessary in your case rather than an onlay or filling. There should be a clear structural answer.