Crowns (or “caps”) are used in situations where too much tooth structure is missing to allow a filling or onlay to be successful. The entire top part of the tooth is covered (the “crown” or the area of the tooth above the gums) and brought back to a full size tooth. These are often also required after root canal treatment to prevent the tooth from breaking. There are different types of materials crowns can be made of and this should be discussed based on the circumstance. However, the end result will look and function as a normal tooth.