A dental crown covers or encircles a tooth that is no longer able to support a filling. If a cavity threatens the health of a tooth, a crown will be bonded to the tooth using dental cement. Crowns can be made out of a number of different materials, such as:

Porcelain
Porcelain crowns are the most natural looking off all crowns, as they have the same translucent look as real teeth.

Gold
Gold crowns are a great choice for the back of the mouth where function may be more important than aesthetics. Gold will feel the same as a natural tooth.

Zirconia
Zirconia crowns, like gold crowns, are also a great choice for the back of the mouth. One of the strongest materials used, zirconia is a ceramic that is tooth colored, but not as natural looking as porcelain.