Are You a Candidate for Dental Crowns?
Similar to false teeth, dental crowns are versatile, tooth-shaped caps that dentists use to restore decayed, discolored, broken, worn-down, or weak teeth. They’re also used to cover dental implants and teeth treated with root canals, as well as to hold dental bridges in place.
Crafted from a variety of materials, including metal, resin, and porcelain, crowns restore your teeth’s strength and function.
Read on to learn whether you might need a crown, as well as what to expect if you get one.
Benefits of Crowns:
Dental crowns offer several advantages for both your oral health and your smile.
Crowns restore the shape, size, and function of damaged, decayed, or weak teeth, improving your chewing and speech while preserving your natural bite and preventing any further deterioration.
They can also improve the appearance of discolored, broken, or misshapen teeth — as well as be used to support dental bridges, hide dental implants, or otherwise cover up advanced dental work — in order to create a more uniform and attractive smile.
Types of Crowns:
Dental crowns are made from different materials, depending on the tooth's location and function:
Porcelain or ceramic crowns are a popular and effective option for front teeth due to their natural appearance and ability to blend with your surrounding teeth. (Note: If you receive a porcelain crown, your dentist will select the shade that most closely matches the color of your surrounding teeth.)
Metal crowns can be made from gold, platinum, or other metals, and are extremely durable, making them ideal for molars where strength is crucial.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns blend the cosmetic benefits of porcelain crowns with the strength of metal crowns.
Zirconia crowns are durable like metal crowns and have a realistic, tooth-like appearance, making them increasingly popular.
Resin crowns are less expensive, but wear down more quickly than options, making the best suited as temporary solutions.
How Long Do Crowns Last?
While dental crowns last between five and 15 years, their exact lifespan depends on the amount of wear and tear your crowns are exposed to. Just as with your natural teeth, you should avoid grinding or clenching your crowns, chewing ice, biting fingernails, or using your crowns to open packaging.
What to Expect
The process of getting a dental crown typically involves two visits.
During your first visit, your dentist will examine your tooth, remove any decay, and reshape it to fit your crown. This will include filing down the tooth to make room for the crown and, if a large piece of the tooth is missing (due to damage or decay), using filling material to “build up” the tooth so it can support the crown.
After reshaping the tooth, your dentist will use a digital scanner to make an impression of the tooth that will receive the crown. He will also make impressions of the teeth above and below the reshaped tooth to ensure you receive a custom and comfortable fit. You may also receive a temporary crown to protect the tooth while your permanent crown is being made.
During your second visit, your dentist will fit and cement your permanent crown in place. While you may experience mild sensitivity or discomfort initially, it typically fades quickly.
CEREC® Same-Day Crowns
Many patients at White Oak Dental have gotten great results and quicker turnaround times with CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) same-day crowns.
Made with ceramic materials, CEREC crowns are designed, manufactured, and installed in one day using computer-assisted technology.
Contact us for more information and pricing.
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