Any alternatives to a *crown*? Anything bad about crowns?

[sisteeesmama]

My best girlfriend just found out from her dentist that she needs a crown. Are there any better alternatives to a crown? Is there anything bad she should know about getting a crown?

I told her about some things she can do to help the rest of her teeth from decaying but is there anything she should know/do about this tooth that needs the crown now?

Thanks so much!

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

bump

[zulupetalz]

I recently had an inlay/onlay placed. The dentist called it a crown, but it is not. My understanding is that a crown covers the entire tooth, down to the gumline. An onlay is something that sits on top of the remaining tooth structure. The problem with having crowns put on at a young age is that younger people have larger nerves, which are more likely to be irritated by the whole process. That is what my endodontist explained to me. That is the reason that I will probably need a root canal. My nerve is inflammed. Fun.

Anyhow. I don't know if the onlay is preferable to a full crown or not. I have a porcelain onlay, I'm not sure what crowns usually are made of. Reconstruction of a tooth (crown, onlay, etc) usually lasts longer than a regular filling. My dentist said that the reconstruction would last 20 plus years and the filling (white) only 10.