Imperfect, damaged, or cracked teeth can affect not only your smile, but also gum health, and that is why you might need crown restoration.
What Is a Dental Crown?
A tooth crown is a tooth-shaped bridge or cap placed over your teeth to restore its size, shape, strength as well as improve its appearance. These tooth caps are cemented to encase the visible part of the tooth that is above the gum line.
Dr. Vesna Arezina DDS performs a crown restoration for various reasons;
- To prevent a weak tooth from breaking
- To support a tooth with a filling when the hole is too deep and you don’t have a lot of teeth left
- To restore a broken or worn out teeth
- To correct discolored or misshapen teeth
- To cover a dental implant
- To hold a tooth bridge in place.
Crown restorations are also done in children to protect the tooth from decay and decrease the use of anesthesia for children.
What Are the Different Types?
- Crowns are available in different materials based on where the cap will be fixed and your budget. Our dental office offers various options such as;
Stainless steel. These are ideal for children as they require few dental visits. These crowns are used as a temporary measure to protect a tooth filling while the dentist makes a permanent crown from a different material. - Porcelain crowns. You can choose either all-porcelain or porcelain-fused to a metal. Both options have a natural-looking appearance similar to your adjacent teeth, although, for the metal ones, the cap may be visible. However, they can wear out the surrounding teeth.
- All-ceramic crowns are similar to porcelains as they have a natural appearance, but are not as strong and also wear out the adjacent teeth.
- Gold crowns. They rarely break or chip and don’t wear down easily. However, unlike porcelain or ceramic, these crowns are not natural-looking. Most people prefer fixing the gold crowns on the molars. Gold alloy side effects are rare, but some people can experience swelling, redness, and gum irritation.
What Happens at Your Dental Procedure?
Our dentist performs the crown restoration in two visits; examination and fixing the crown.
- First visit
The dentist will examine your teeth and gum health using an x-ray to check your roots. If you have any tooth decay or at risk of infection, a root canal procedure may be performed to repair a tooth that is severely decayed.
Tooth reshaping will be done and an impression of your teeth taken to make the crown. Additionally, you will get a temporary crown to protect the tooth from sensitivity.
- Second visit
If everything is healthy and acceptable, the temporary crown will be removed and replaced with the permanent one.
What to Expect After the Procedure?
You may develop some complications after the dental procedure such as;
- Sensitivity. Your crowned teeth might cause little discomfort or sensitivity as the anesthesia wears off. The dentist will recommend a tooth-sensitive toothpaste. If you experience pain when you bite down food, call the dentist as it might be the crown is too high.
- Allergy. Although rare, an allergic reaction might occur due to the sensitivity of the metals used
- Loose crowns. At times, the tooth cement may wash out causing the crown to loosen. It will cause bacteria to grow and trigger tooth decay. If this happens, call us immediately.
How Long Will the Crowns Last?
Tooth caps can last for a lifetime if well maintained, but they are still prone to loosening or falling out. Dental or gum disease can cause the crown to lose its support and fall, therefore practice proper dental hygiene.
- Brush your teeth with fluoride tooth-past after breakfast and before going to bed, and also floss once daily
- Avoid chewing hard foods and also ice which can cause the crown to move or shift
Take Action
Crowns cover your teeth and protect the enamel from harm and damage. So, if you are ready to make a dental transformation, call Dr. Vesna Arezina DDS and schedule an appointment.