If you have a broken tooth or a tooth that needs repaired because of deterioration due to cavities or decay, a crown may be the option recommended to you. Tooth decay eats away at your healthy tooth structure in much the same way as rust eats away at metal. If this decay is not removed from your tooth, it will continue to deteriorate the tooth until removal of the tooth is the only option. In some cases, the decay can be removed while leaving behind a portion of the healthy tooth structure. A crown can then be placed on the healthy portion of your tooth. This allows you to keep your natural, underlying tooth structure while restoring the look and function of your smile. Most crowns are precision-milled porcelain or full metal, gold or silver, and they are customized to give you a natural, long lasting smile.