Glazing

What Is Glazing? (The Final Touch That Makes Your Crown Shine)

Glazing is like the clear coat on a luxury car or the glossy finish on a ceramic dish—it's the final, glass-like layer applied to your crown that gives it a natural, healthy shine. Without glazing, your new crown would have a dull, matte, and porous finish. With glazing, it catches the light just like natural tooth enamel, helping it blend seamlessly into your smile.

But glazing does much more than just make your crown shiny. This critical final step seals the microscopic pores in the ceramic, creating a smooth, non-porous surface that is more resistant to staining and plaque buildup. It’s the difference between a crown that looks fake and feels rough versus one that makes you forget it's not your natural tooth.

The Glazing Process: Art Meets Science

Whether your crown is made in a dental lab or in our office with CEREC® technology, the glazing process is the grand finale.

1. Preparation: The crown is thoroughly cleaned to prepare for the glaze application.
2. Application: A thin, even layer of a special liquid glaze material is painted onto the entire surface of the crown. Custom stains can also be applied at this stage to add character and match your other teeth perfectly.
3. The Firing: The glazed crown is placed into a dental furnace at very high temperatures (often 750-900°C). This melts the glass particles in the glaze, causing them to flow together and fuse to the crown's surface, creating a hard, glossy, and sealed finish.

This process is what transforms a well-fitting crown into a beautiful, lifelike, and long-lasting restoration.

Why Every Crown Needs That Final Glaze

• Aesthetic Perfection: Glazing creates the natural luster and light reflection that mimics healthy tooth enamel. The shine level can even be customized, from a high gloss for a youthful look to a more subtle sheen for a mature smile.
• Stain Resistance: The sealed, glass-like surface has no pores for stains from coffee, tea, or red wine to penetrate. A glazed crown will maintain its color for years to come.
• Health and Cleanliness: Plaque and bacteria have a much harder time sticking to the ultra-smooth glazed surface, which helps keep the crown and the surrounding gum tissue healthier.
• Kindness to Other Teeth: A glazed surface is much smoother and less abrasive to the opposing teeth you bite against, preventing unnecessary wear on your natural teeth.

Living with Your Glazed Crown

The best part about a properly glazed crown is that it requires no special care. You simply brush and floss it just like you would your natural teeth. We do recommend avoiding highly abrasive whitening toothpastes, as they can dull the glaze over time. During your regular cleanings, our hygienists will use special polishing pastes to maintain your crown's luster and ensure the glaze continues to protect your investment for its entire lifespan.

Here's what we want you to remember:

Glazing is the final step that transforms a good crown into a great one. It's the protective, glossy seal that gives your crown its natural beauty, makes it easy to clean, and helps it resist staining for years to come.

Every patient's situation is unique.

The final luster of your crown is not one-size-fits-all. We can customize the glaze to match the specific shine and surface texture of your adjacent teeth, ensuring the most natural and seamless result possible.

Curious about the artistry that goes into your dental work?

Wondering why some crowns look more lifelike than others? We're here to give you honest, personalized answers. Schedule a consultation at our Woodland Hills practice – let's talk about what's really best for your smile.