Provisional crown‘s are usually made to protect a tooth while a permanent dental restoration is made in a dental laboratory. It also holds the tooth in place so it doesn‘t move. If the temporary is lost, the dental crown won‘t fit and the dentist will have to start over again.

A provisional crown can be used for other purposes. It can be made instead of a real dental crown when a patient can not afford a permanent one but needs something now. In cosmetic cases, a cosmetic dentist can make the temporary from an aesthetic diagnostic wax up that the patient has approved. Because the temporary has the same shape, size, and contours as the final one, it allows the patient to evaluate his or her new smile before the final restoration is made.

Provisional‘s can be made from dental acrylic or dental composite material. Regardless of the material used, it must be highly polished to avoid irritating the gums and possibly causing gingival recession.