Dental Crowns

During your examination or course of treatment a tooth may be planned to receive a crown.  A crown or “cap” is designed to hold a broken down tooth together.  When large fillings or extensive decay have weakened a tooth, breakage can occur.  This break can lead to more extensive dental work to save it or removal of the tooth if the break is severe.  Crowns have a relatively long life span.  Some crowns are placed for esthetic reasons.  When teeth are misshaped or discolored a crown can alter the overall form and contour of a tooth to correct those issues.  We offer many options for crowns.  There are multiple types of porcelain crowns that are strong and tooth-like in appearance.  Gold alloys and titanium crowns are also an option.  Porcelain and resin crowns can be bonded into place for ideal sealing.  Metal crowns are “luted” into place and held by cement forces.  Some crowns are made of both porcelain and metal.  The options will be discussed with you at your appointment. 

A typical “crown” appointment will begin with anesthesia.  After numb, the decay is removed from the tooth and a “core build-up” is placed.  A core build-up is a filling that will serve as the center of the tooth.  The outer layer of the tooth is then removed 1 to 2 mm on all sides.  This removal will serve as the space created for your porcelain or metal crown. 

Once the tooth is prepared, an impression will be made of the tooth and surrounding teeth.  Impression of your whole mouth may be taken for ideal fit and appearance of the final product.  At Dynamic Dentistry we utilize a myriad of materials and methods to capture the best impression.  A soft tissue laser may be used to create a small space around the tooth where the impression material can capture it best.  A small cord placed into the sulcus or trough around the tooth may be placed.  These cords may have special medicines in them to help or special medicines may be added after.  These will be in place temporarily while the impression is made.  The impression material is loaded into a tray fit to your mouth and around the tooth to be “crowned.”  After a few minutes, the tray is removed and our laboratory technician will have a replica of your mouth to make your custom fit crown. 

A temporary crown will then be made.  Most often, the temporary crown will be tooth-colored.  A temporary cement will be used to hold the crown in the interim.  Two weeks later a second appointment will be made to insert the final crown. 

At your second appointment, anesthesia may be needed for your comfort.  The crown will then be tried in for accurate fit and function.  The contacts between your teeth will be checked for ideal cleansability.  Your bite will be checked to make sure the crown does not change your bite and feels comfortable.  Adjustments may be made and the crown will then be polished.  Prior to cementing your crown in permanently, you will be shown your crown to approve of the size, the shape, and comfort.  After cementing the crown, the excess cement will be cleaned off.  The result will be a cleansable, esthetically pleasing, and comfortable “new tooth.”  Your crown will be checked at each cleaning appointment to make sure it is not leaking or decaying around the edges.  Below is further information on crowns.

Most dentistry looks like dentistry. Our goal is to provide dentistry that is undetectable. We replace existing crowns and fillings with restorations that look and feel like your natural teeth.

Where damage to a person’s teeth is extreme, and apparently beyond repair, we can use porcelain or porcelain “pasted on gold” crowns to make the smile appear “as new”. This is an extremely reliable technique for repairing the most severe of dental problems, even permanently replacing missing teeth to offer a complete smile and a functional bite. We are renowned for the quality of our work and the fantastic changes we make for people using this technology. These treatments are used for a long-lasting correction of major dental problems. It is usual for these treatments to last for 20 to 30 years, which is as close to permanent as dental treatment can get.

How long does it take to fit a dental crown?

Fitting a crown requires at least two visits to our office. Initially, we will remove decay, shape the tooth, and fit it with a temporary crown of either plastic or metal.

On the subsequent visit we will remove the temporary crown, and then fit and adjust the final crown. Finally, we will cement the crown into place and you have a new beautiful looking tooth.

Key Benefits of Dental Crowns

  • Replaces missing teeth
  • Offers support to misshapen teeth or badly broken teeth
  • Looks completely natural
  • Fixes “smile” and functional chewing problems

What are the capabilities of dental crowns?

Crown and bridgework is a very reliable solution for major dental problems caused through accidents, diseases or wear and tear. Major problems can usually be corrected using these techniques. Material used in these repairs is either high-grade porcelain, or porcelain bonded to gold. A higher strength of the porcelain and gold materials is recommended to treat the most serious of dental problems. Where accidental damage has occurred, resulting in lost teeth, or where teeth have broken away through excessive wear, or as the result of old fillings breaking, crowns and/or bridges can be used as a long-term solution.

Many people have unexplained pain from filled back teeth, which is usually due to hairline cracks in the chewing part of the tooth. Placing crowns on these teeth relieves the pain and allows a return of full dental function for these teeth. In front teeth, older fillings can both weaken the teeth and cause “appearance” problems due to staining or chipping. Porcelain crowns and bridges are suitable in cases where porcelain veneers are not. In teeth with root canal fillings, crowns can prevent breakage.

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