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Dental crowns are a type of restorative technique for damaged teeth. Essentially, they act as replacements for the visible part of the tooth above the gumline, either fitting to a natural root or titanium post as part of an implant.
Dental crowns get their name from their appearance. If you isolate the top of a molar tooth from the root, the structure looks a little bit like a crown a monarch might wear.
Dental crowns can be made of a variety of materials, sometimes metal, but more commonly porcelain. To attach a crown to a natural tooth, dentists use a bonding agent called dental cement. This holds the prosthetic in place, giving it the strength and robustness it needs to mimic the function of regular teeth.
The Benefits Of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns offer many benefits, making them highly popular among patients in Petaluma, California.
Teeth can sometimes die when the pulp inside them becomes infected. Dentists remove the infected pulp with a root canal and then replace it with new, inert material.
Dentists have two choices at this point. They can either cap the tooth with a filling, or they can apply a crown. Generally, application of a crown is a better option because it prevents the dead tooth from falling apart, allowing patients to retain more of their natural dentition.
Crowns are versatile because they can conceal all manner of tooth imperfections. These include discolored or chipped teeth, crooked or even misshapen teeth.
You can also use crowns to close the gaps between teeth. This allows you to improve your smile and reduce the chances of decay.
Crowns offer another benefit: they’re mostly permanent. Once you have one fitted, they are more durable than fillings and provide you with a long-term biting surface. Patients, in Petaluma, CA, will eventually need to replace them, but not until many years pass.
Crowns are also helpful for preventing tooth decay. Instead of using a filling on a decayed tooth, your dentist may recommend a crown. The crown fits over part of the original tooth and then creates a barrier between the interior of the tooth and the rest of the mouth. In many cases, it works better than regular fillings.
Getting Dental Crowns: How It Works
Getting crowns can involve either a same-day or multi-day procedure.
First, dentists examine the tooth requiring the crown, possibly taking an x-ray to gather more information about its structure.
Then they file down and remove parts of the existing tooth. The goal here is to provide a robust stump or support for the new crown to fit on top.
The dentist will then take an impression of the stump and surrounding teeth to use in the fabrication of the crown.
Following trimming, your dentist will provide a temporary crown to protect the tooth and then invite you back to the office once a lab fabricates your permanent crown. They will then cement the new crown into position, completing your smile.