Stainless steel crowns are the treatment of choice for teeth with a developmental defect (hypoplasia), after pulpal therapy, or if most of the tooth is decayed or missing.
The crown is cemented to the tooth and sits just below the gum line. The crown should remain on the tooth until it is time for the tooth to naturally fall out, at which time the rest of the baby tooth and crown will fall out together in one piece.
Stainless steel crowns save teeth where other treatments would fail. They are strong and durable. The main disadvantage is that stainless steel crowns are silver in color.
Tooth-colored crowns used for the same situations as stainless steel crowns. The main advantage of tooth-colored crowns is they are a more natural looking. The disadvantages of tooth-colored crowns are that they are more expensive, may be less durable and are more time consuming to place.