A Short History of Dental Crowns

If you let a cavity go for too long, you may end up with enough damage to the tooth structure that a filling won’t be enough to restore your tooth. In these cases, a crown will often be recommended by your dentist. Dental crowns have been around for a long time. Naturally, back in the far annals of history, tooth decay was something you dealt with until your tooth rotted to a point of falling right out of your mouth. However, there has been an interesting evolution of dental restoration techniques.

 Fine Italian Dental Crowns

The Etruscans (who occupied most of what is known today as the Tuscan region of Italy) utilized crowns made of gold all the way back in 700 B.C. However, the process was no longer used for a time during the Middle Ages (perhaps due to availability or cost of materials). The first book of dentistry was written in 1530. Titled The Little Medicinal Book for All Kinds of Diseases and Infirmities of the Teeth, the publication came from Germany. Around this time, the profession of dentistry began to evolve. Before that, issues of the teeth were tackled as a side job for barbers and blacksmiths. Restorations began to be made from animal or human teeth in the 1700s. Porcelain emerged as king of the crown in the mid-1800s.

Crowns Go Modern

Nicely fitting, lasting crowns, made their debut in the early 1900s. A method called lost-wax casting was developed in which a wax mold set the stage for fabricating customized dental crowns. Crown materials were poured and cooled to form the final restoration. Dr. William Taggert refined the technique in 1907, giving dentists the ability to make precise crowns for patients using porcelain or gold. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns became available in the 1960s in an effort to blend the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, any crown with metal runs the risk of causing the appearance of a black line at the edge of the crown.

About Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas:

Whether you wish to protect your smile from dental disease and damage, or restore your smile after suffering tooth loss, we can help you regain your oral health and confidence through a new and improved smile. Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas are highly-skilled restorative and cosmetic dentists serving the Park Ridge and surrounding Chicago communities. To schedule an appointment, call Loukas General Dentistry today at (847) 696-1919.