Crown refers to the restoration of teeth using materials that are fabricated by indirect methods which are cemented into place. A crown is used to cap or completely cover a tooth.

Traditionally, the teeth to be crowned are prepared by a dentist and records are given to a dental technician to fabricate the crown or bridge, which can then be inserted at a subsequent dental appointment. The main advantages of the indirect method of tooth restoration include:

• Fabrication of the restoration without the need for having the patient in the chair
• The utilization of materials that require special fabrication methods, such as casting
• The use of materials that require intense heat to be processed into a restoration, such as gold and porcelain.

The restorative materials used in indirect restorations possess superior mechanical properties to materials used for direct methods of tooth restoration, and thus produce a restoration of much higher quality.

As new technology and material chemistry has evolved, computers are increasingly becoming a part of crown and bridge fabrication, such as in CAD/CAM technology.