Summary review of the survival of single crowns.

It generally is assumed by both dentists and patients that single crowns last a long time; however, the actual survival experience for crowns is not well-described and few comparisons have been reported in terms of survival for different types of crowns. A review of the literature reveals that while definitions of survival differ, the differences among crown types are relatively small, with all-ceramic posterior crowns demonstrating the poorest survival experience. Generally, 95% of crowns will remain in the mouth for at least five years--or, to use another definition of survival, more than 90% of crowns will not require catastrophic treatment within five years. Longer-term survival is less well-described; according to the literature, survival at 15-20 years ranges from 50-80%. These findings should help dentists and their patients to make informed treatment decisions regarding crowns.