A dental crown or a cap is a dental restoration that is made in a dental lab like Dental Laboratory Associates. Because it covers the entire surface of your tooth, it delivers stability and strength, as it improves the appearance of your tooth.
There are different types of crowns that can address different dental problems too. For example, if you have undergone a root canal treatment, a dental crown can be placed over your tooth. If you have had large fillings, or if you need dental bridges, dental crowns will also be used. Broken and weak teeth also need dental crowns to protect them.
TYPES OF MATERIALS USED FOR DENTAL CROWNS
These types of materials are commonly used to make crowns:
*Gold and Gold Alloys
*Porcelain
*Ceramic
*Zirconia
*Composite Resin
*Other Metal Alloys
PLACEMENT PROCESS
Dental crown placement often requires two visits to your dentist’s office, although there are some clinics which can have the crown created and placed all in one day. Before a crown placement, the area surrounding your tooth will be numbed and your dentist will shape the surfaces of your tooth to give space for your crown. For severely damaged teeth, special techniques may be performed to build them up again and make sure that they can hold crowns securely. To make sure that the crown will fit perfectly and the bite will be right, impressions will be taken by your dentist. Tooth color will also be matched. Once the dental crown is made, it is securely cemented into place over your natural tooth.
Is a Root Canal Necessary?
A root canal is not required for a dental crown placement. However, all patients who have undergone a root canal treatment would need to have their teeth crowned.
DENTAL CROWN AFTER CARE
Once your dental crown is placed you need to take care of it the way you would care for your natural teeth. That means you need to brush and floss with care. You might experience some sensitivity at first, but that is normal for the first few days. You might want to use a sensitivity toothpaste to address this concern.
Avoid chewing sticky and hard food like gums and candies. You should never chew ice either. If your crown gets a little dislodged, call your dentist at once to have it fixed. Do not attempt to glue it on your own nor should you put off having it seen by your dentist.
Are you now ready to have a dental crown? Get your smile back! Contact us and we’ll be more than happy to have one of our dentists schedule an appointment to see you.