Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a type of restoration involving the placement of a “cap” over a tooth that is discolored, damaged or missing. Crowns are normally used to completely replace a missing tooth, repair a broken tooth, or otherwise enhance the aesthetics of the teeth.

Crown Materials

There are quite a few types of materials that your dentist can use to make a dental crown, including:

 

· Porcelain

· Ceramic

· Gold

· Metallic alloys

· Acrylic

Best Candidates

Your dentist may recommend a dental crown if you need to:

 

· Repair a tooth that is worn down or broken

· Replace a missing tooth with a bridge

· Repair and conceal a tooth that has undergone a root canal

· Repair a tooth with significant decay or chips and cracks

Crown Procedure

To begin, your dentist takes x-rays to look for tooth decay and examine the structure of your tooth root. They then make preparations for the crown by removing some tooth structure and reshaping the tooth. During this time, you will likely be provided with a local anesthetic to ensure your comfort.

Your dentist may need to take impressions of your treated tooth so that a mold can be created from it. They would then send that mold to a dental lab, which will be creating your dental crown.

After your dentist has received the created dental crown back from the lab, you would return for a follow-up appointment to have your crown placed.

Dental Crowns FAQs

The following are some frequently asked questions about dental crowns:

Is getting a dental crown painful?

Your dentist can apply a local anesthetic to the area receiving the crown, so you should not feel any pain at all. It is possible to experience minor discomfort if your dentist places a temporary crown to protect a tooth until a permanent crown is ready.

Will my crown look like my other teeth?

Yes. In preparation for the placement of your crown, your dentist will ensure that your new crown will match the color of your surrounding teeth so that you have a seamless smile. If you plan to undergo a teeth whitening treatment, do that first. The reason is that crowns cannot be whitened, but they can be created to match the color of surrounding teeth.

How long will my new crown last?

It is impossible to say for sure how long your new dental crown will last; however, crowns normally last anywhere from 10 to 15 years, although it is not unheard of for a patient to have a crown last for the rest of their lives. The types of crowns that last the longest are zirconia and gold crowns.

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