Best Temporary Crown Material: A Dentist’s Guide for 2025
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Do you need to pick a good tooth cap that works for now? Let’s find the best temporary crown material for your teeth. This guide will help you choose.
What Is a Temporary Crown?
A temporary crown is a cap that goes on your tooth for a short time. It keeps your tooth safe while you wait for your real crown. It helps you:
- Eat food without pain
- Look nice when you smile
- Keep your teeth from moving
- Stop germs from getting in
Types of Temporary Crown Materials
Let’s look at the different materials you can use. Some are strong. Some look pretty. Some cost less money.
Bis-Acryl Composites
Bis-acryl is a top pick for many tooth doctors.
Good things about bis-acryl:
- Looks like real teeth
- Very strong
- Does not shrink much
- Easy to polish
Not so good things:
- Costs more money
- You must mix it just right
Best brands: Luxatemp®, Protemp™ Crown, Structur® Premium
Best for: Front teeth and when you need it for a long time
PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate)
PMMA has been used for many years.
Good things about PMMA:
- Costs less money
- Easy to fix if needed
- Safe for your body
Not so good things:
- Can break more easily
- Not as pretty
- Gets stained by tea or coffee
Top brands: Jet® Acrylic, DuraLay
Best for: Back teeth and when you need it for a short time
Prefabricated Crowns
These come ready to use. They are:
- Polycarbonate: Looks good but can break
- Stainless Steel: Very strong but not pretty (good for kids)
- Cellulose Acetate: Cheap but won’t last long
New Options
Tooth doctors now use computers to make crowns:
- 3D-printed crowns
- CAD/CAM milled crowns
These are fast to make but may cost more.
Which Material Is Best? The Facts!
Let’s look at what tests show about these materials. This can help you pick the best one.
| Material Type | How Good Is the Fit? | How Strong Is It? | Does It Stain? | How Long Does It Last? | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bis-Acryl | Very good (85 μm gap) | Very strong | Not much | 6+ months (95% success) | Front teeth, long-term |
| PMMA | Fair (120 μm gap) | Medium strong | 2.5× more than bis-acryl | 3-4 weeks (83% success) | Back teeth, short-term |
| Polycarbonate | Good | Not very strong | Some | 1-2 months (78% success) | Front teeth, short-term |
| Stainless Steel | Fair | Very strong | No | 6+ months (98% success) | Kids’ teeth, back teeth |
| 3D-Printed Resin | Very good | Strong | Some | New, still testing | Any teeth, but costs more |
These facts come from tests where doctors looked at many teeth with different crowns.
How to Choose the Best Material
How do you pick? Think about these things:
- Which tooth needs the crown?
- Front tooth? Pick bis-acryl or polycarbonate
- Back tooth? PMMA or stainless steel might be fine
- How long will you need it?
- Just a week or two? PMMA might be good enough
- A few months? Better use bis-acryl
- Do you grind your teeth at night?
- If yes, you need a stronger material (bis-acryl or stainless steel)
- How much money can you spend?
- Bis-acryl costs more but lasts longer
- PMMA is cheaper but may need to be fixed
- Do you drink lots of tea or coffee?
- If yes, know that PMMA will get more stained
Step-by-Step Tips for Using Each Material
Using Bis-Acryl
- Mix it with the special gun mixer
- Put it on the tooth mold
- Wait for it to get hard (about 2-5 minutes)
- Smooth the edges with special tools
- Polish it to make it shine
Using PMMA
- Mix the powder and liquid
- Wait until it’s like dough
- Press it into the mold
- Keep it cool while it gets hard (don’t let it get too hot)
- Trim the edges with a drill
Using Prefabricated Crowns
- Pick the right size
- Trim it to fit your tooth
- Fill it with glue
- Put it on the tooth
- Clean extra glue from around it
How to Take Care of Your Temporary Crown
Tell your patients to:
- Don’t chew sticky foods (like gum or candy)
- Don’t bite hard foods (like ice or nuts)
- Brush gently with a soft brush
- Floss carefully (pull the floss out to the side, not up)
- Call the doctor if it comes off or breaks
Good care makes the crown last longer and keeps the tooth healthy.
Your Temporary Crown Questions Answered
Can a temporary crown last 6 months?
Yes, but only if it’s made from bis-acryl or stainless steel. PMMA crowns usually last only 3-4 weeks before they might break or come off.
Which material is safest for allergic patients?
Bis-acryl is usually the safest. Some people have allergies to the chemicals in PMMA. Always ask patients if they have had any allergic reactions to dental materials before.
Why does my temporary crown keep breaking?
Your crown might keep breaking because:
You might be grinding your teeth
The material might be too thin
You might be eating hard foods
The wrong material was used for your tooth
Are temporary crowns painful?
They should not hurt much. A little sensitivity to hot and cold is normal. If it hurts a lot, see your tooth doctor. The crown might need to be adjusted.
How much do temporary crowns cost?
The cost depends on the material:
PMMA: $25-75 per tooth
Bis-acryl: $50-100 per tooth
Prefabricated: $15-40 per tooth
Many times, the cost is included in the price of your permanent crown.
Case Study: Front Tooth Replacement
Dr. Smith had a patient who broke a front tooth and needed a crown. The permanent crown would take 2 weeks.
The challenge: The patient had a wedding to go to in 3 days and wanted to look good.
The solution: Dr. Smith used bis-acryl (Luxatemp shade A2) because:
- It matched the other teeth well
- It could be polished to look natural
- It was strong enough to last through the wedding
The patient was very happy with how it looked in pictures!
Temporary Crown Materials: What’s New in 2024
The newest thing is 3D printing. Doctors can now:
- Scan your mouth with a small camera
- Design your crown on a computer
- Print it in just 30 minutes
These crowns fit very well and look nice. They cost more but save time.
Conclusion: Picking the Best Material
To sum up:
- Bis-acryl is best for front teeth and longer use
- PMMA works for back teeth and short-term use
- Stainless steel is great for kids’ teeth
- 3D-printed crowns are the newest option
The “best” material depends on what you need. Talk to your tooth doctor about what’s right for your teeth.
For more information about temporary dental solutions, check out our guides on temporary crowns and bridges on front teeth, temporary molar tooth options, or temporary restorations in general.
