Dental Crowns

What are Dental Crowns?

Dental crowns are custom-fitted cap-like structures that fit over the biting surface of your teeth. They’re typically used to repair the shape, size, and structure of damaged and misshapen molars and can be crafted from a variety of materials. Even though it’s possible to have your dental crown made from metals, most patients prefer natural-looking and color-customized dental ceramic or porcelain because they’re able to mimic the appearance of real tooth enamel. Once the crown is cemented onto your natural tooth, it will continue to function properly for up to 15 years with the proper daily maintenance.

Why Would You Need a Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are more versatile than many of our patients know. They can be used to fix a variety of cosmetic and oral health problems, including some of the following:

• Severe dental decay that can’t be treated with a filling.
• Forced trauma that causes a tooth to become damaged or broken.
• After root canal therapy, crowns can be used to restore the function of your natural tooth and provide it with additional protection.
• Fixed bridges are held in place by two dental crowns.

The Dental Crown Procedure

When you get a dental crown, the procedure typically takes place over the course of two appointments and can be broken down into the following steps:

1. We will prepare your tooth by removing a small portion of the outer-layer in order to accommodate the thickness of the crown.
2. We will take impressions of your tooth to craft your permanent crown from.
3. We will apply a temporary crown while we wait for your permanent one to arrive from our dental laboratory.
4. Once your crown arrives, we will call you in to secure it to your tooth.

Before you leave our office, we’ll also provide you with some basic aftercare and maintenance instructions to ensure that you don’t have any complications and get the most out of your new restoration.