You can think of dental crowns as caps that cover your teeth. Unlike a veneer, which is bonded to the front surface, a crown surrounds the entire tooth. You can wear a crown on a broken tooth as long as there’s enough of a surface left to attach it to. In fact, dental crowns are often used to strengthen and build up teeth that have some kind of wear or damage.
Dental crowns are commonly placed over molars. However, they can also be installed on front teeth.
They’re made of porcelain and are available in several shades to match the look of your natural teeth. In some cases, dental crowns are installed as a cosmetic procedure to cover stains and atypical tooth shapes.
If you have stains, chips or injuries to the teeth that pose a cosmetic issue, a veneer may be appropriate. However, a tooth with decay or significant damage needs protection from all angles. A dental crown provides more protection than a veneer.
In other words, the primary function of a dental crown is to restore the shape and size of a tooth so that it looks great and functions optimally. Dental crowns may be used for the following dental issues:
• Reinforcing the structure of a weakened tooth, holding it together
• Preventing breakage on vulnerable teeth
• Restoring a broken tooth
• Building up the surface of a tooth that has eroded from grinding
• Strengthen a tooth after a root canal
Sometimes, dental crowns are used to secure dental implants, bridges or dentures. In these cases, the teeth that are crowned aren’t necessarily broken or damaged. The dental crown is applied over those teeth to provide a secure location to which to attach the artificial teeth or apparatus.
Why someone would need a crown is 1. If the filling that is currently there is just too big to replace and it would compromise the integrity of the rest of the tooth, then a crown is indicated. If the cavity is there and there’s no existing filling, the cavity could just be too big for that to happen and a crown is needed. If the tooth is broken, depending on the severity of the break, usually a crown is needed. Sometimes they’re small enough that a filling is fine. So those are kind of the why’s. If you ever get a root canal, most of the time it needs a crown on it as well. So those are the why’s. What you would expect: You get numb, so needle, unfortunately, can’t get away from that. So, you’re super numb, don’t feel a thing, I do a bunch of magic with water and my wand and all that, and you get a temporary crown for a couple of weeks, which is basically made out of plastic. Custom-fit to you on that tooth or teeth if we’re doing more than one. That goes on with kind of a temporary cement so that when you come back in a few weeks, we pop that off and put on the real one. The real one is made out of zirconia most of the time. Sometimes I do gold, I prefer that, I’ve got one. But zirconia is the go-to material of choice these days. Super hard, very aesthetic. So that’s kind of what to expect. And usually, that second appointment, getting the real crown put on and the temporary taken off, most of the time you don’t need to get numb. Some people like to, just to prevent sensitivity.
If you have one of the issues that we mentioned above, you may be an ideal candidate for dental crowns. Contact Smiles of Mathews for a comprehensive examination and recommendation.
When you decide to get a crown, The existing tooth must be prepared adequately to support the dental crown. This may involve drilling out decay or performing a root canal. In some instances, the dentist will fill the existing tooth to bolster the structure so that the dental crown bonds properly.
We will make an impression using digital 3-D scanning technology. This allows us to send your dental impression to our lab so they can create your custom crown. A temporary crown will be made while your custom crown is being made, so you will never be without protection. Two to three weeks later, We will cement the dental crown to your tooth, creating a permanent bond.
You should care for your crown the same way that you care for your natural teeth. Be careful when chewing hard foods, and brush and floss around the crown regularly. If you take care of your crown properly, it can last 15 to 30 years. Getting exams regularly will help the dentist keep an eye on the condition of your dental crown. Contact Smiles of Mathews to set up an appointment and repair those teeth that you have been having problems with.
