If you've had restorative dental care you will need to have the tooth protected to prevent further issues, one of the most common ways of doing this is with a dental crown. Our Surrey and Langley dentist talks about dental crowns and in what situations it may be recommended.
Tooth Restorations Using Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a hollow cap that is placed over a damaged or decayed tooth to give it a natural, healthy appearance. The primary purpose of this dental crown is to help prevent any further damage or decay to your natural tooth. A dental crown may be a good option for those only looking for a cosmetic change to the appearance of their tooth.
What are the different types of dental crowns?
Depending on the location where it will be placed there can be a number of different materials used to make dental crowns including:
Porcelain
Porcelain is a popular choice for dental crowns as it can closely resemble the appearance of your natural teeth. They are, however, more prone to chipping and wear than other materials. As a result, they are only used in a small percentage of cases to replace teeth.
Composite Based
Composite crowns are another material that closely resembles natural teeth in appearance. They are more resistant to chipping than porcelain, but they can easily wear down and stain.
Metal/Gold
Dental crowns made of metal (usually gold) are usually quite strong and durable. They should not wear down or stain like composite crowns, but they do not look natural, particularly on front teeth.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal
These crowns should look more natural than porcelain or composite crowns. They should be chip and stain-resistant, but the metal may show through due to their placement and construction.
How are dental crowns placed?
Typically, placing a dental crown requires two visits to your dentist's office. Your dentist should administer a local anesthetic during your first visit.
Your dentist will first file down your natural tooth and take impressions of the space to have your new crown made. This will help to ensure a custom fit.
Since you will need to wait for your new dental crown to be made, your dentist will place a temporary crown in the space.
When might dental crowns be recommended?
While crowns can be a good choice in many cases, they are not made for every set of concerns. Your dentist will be able to help you decide if a dental crown will work best for your needs. However, the following issues are fairly common and almost always necessitate the use of a dental crown.
Some of the ideal circumstances for dental crowns are:
- Large cavities that can't be repaired with a dental filling
- To cover a tooth that has had a root canal
- To prevent weakened teeth from breaking
- To hold together a cracked tooth
- To restore a broken tooth
- To provide support to a dental bridge
- To conceal misshapen teeth
- To cover dental implants
- To disguise discoloured teeth that won't respond to teeth whitening