Crowns are sometimes required to restore badly decayed or broken down teeth. A crown covers the entire tooth surface. Very natural results can be obtained with the new solid porcelain crowns, though very badly broken down teeth often require the extra support of a metal core fused to the inside of the crown.

Veneers are very similar to solid porcelain crowns except that they cover only the outside facing of the tooth and also the biting edge. Much less preparation of the natural tooth is required to place a veneer, but a veneer also offers little support so is not suitable for badly broken down teeth or for persons who grind or clench their teeth.