A dental crown is essentially a prosthetic cap cemented over a damaged tooth to restore appearance and functionality. An all-ceramic crown is the more aesthetically pleasing, natural looking modern alternative to traditional crowns that had utilized porcelain baked onto metal alloy substructures. Modern all ceramic crowns are made entirely of ceramic so they offer superior optical qualities, translucency, and opacities. In a highly skilled office ceramic crowns can look the same as a natural tooth.
People who have large fillings with minimal tooth remaining, or a tooth with a root canal, or broken, or decayed teeth and are looking for cosmetic enhancement are often candidates for porcelain crowns. Porcelain crowns are especially useful in cases where the tooth cannot be restored through fillings, veneers, or other types of restorations.