Accidents happen, despite our best efforts to prevent them. Sometimes, accidents cause dental injuries, resulting in chipped or cracked teeth. When teeth have suffered significant damage, Advanced Dental Associates can provide treatment with crowns.What’s the Purpose of a Crown?
Dental crowns are often referred to as tooth caps. This is because that is essentially what they are. They are meant to cover the entire crown of your damaged tooth to protect and preserve it. With a crown, further damage and the risk of infections are prevented. The crown also helps your tooth to continue functioning normally. Its surface takes on the pressures of biting and chewing. This allows the tooth to remain where it is, meaning you won’t need an extraction. Crowns are commonly used to treat damaged teeth, but they can also treat teeth affected by significant decay.
Are There Different Types of Crowns?
Yes, there are several different types of crowns. The two most common are metal and ceramic. Metal provides the greatest strength. However, it is not very aesthetically pleasing. Even at the back of the mouth, many would prefer to have something that looks natural. Ceramic, also called all-ceramic, crowns are completely ceramic. They are not as strong as metal, but they do offer incredible aesthetic benefits.
Other types of crowns include porcelain fused to metal and resin crowns. Porcelain fused to metal crowns have a metal base with a porcelain exterior. They combine the strength of metal with the natural appearance of porcelain. Resin crowns are not often used. While tooth colored, they are the weakest.
Preparing Your Tooth for a Crown
The first step of getting your crown is preparing the tooth. This is a minor procedure in which we remove a small amount of enamel from around the tooth. This essentially makes your tooth smaller so your crown will fit properly. Once prepared, we take an impression.
Placing a Temporary Crown
In many cases, your crown is made in an off-site lab. This means we have to send off your impression and wait for your crown to be made. However, the prepared tooth will need protection while you wait.
For this reason, we create and place a temporary crown. This temporary restoration helps to keep the tooth safe until your next appointment.
Getting Your Final Crown
After we receive your crown from the lab, it is time to place it. We first need to check to make sure it fits properly. The crown is placed onto the tooth, and we assess the fit. If there is space between the crown and surrounding teeth, food may get stuck. If it is too tight, some of the enamel of the surrounding teeth can be removed.
In some cases, the crown may need to be sent back. When the fit is optimal, the crown is cemented to the tooth.
When the process has been completed, the new crown will function like a normal tooth, allowing you to chew, smile, and otherwise function as if you have a natural tooth in place.
How Long Will My Crown Last?
Crowns do not last forever. How long they last, however, depends on a few things. The main factor is the material your crown is made from. Other factors include your lifestyle habits and oral hygiene habits. If your crown does wear out or becomes damaged, it can be replaced.
If you have suffered tooth damage, it is important to get treatment as soon as possible. Call Advanced Dental Associates at (210) 714-5589 today to find out if a crown is the right treatment for you.