A large filling is frequently not strong enough to withstand biting pressure on a cracked or damaged tooth. In that case, it is customary for the tooth to be protected with a restoration called a crown. Crowns can be made of different materials: gold, porcelain, or some combination.
This patient had a porcelain-metal crown on the lower right first molar that was leaking (see before X-ray on back half) – the crown needed to be replaced. During the process, we discovered the leaking tooth had become infected, and required root canal therapy to save the tooth.
After the root canal was completed, we restored the tooth with an all-ceramic crown, using a custom blend of porcelains – photographs showing both the existing opaque crown, as well as the natural tooth on the opposite side, enabled the ceramist to carefully craft the porcelain work. The result was an ideal match for the opposing side.