Porcelain Dental Crowns
As you age your teeth age to, decay, fillings, and trauma or even just normal chewing habits can make your teeth breakdown overtime. A dental crown or a cap is a cover that is placed over a tooth to protect a weakened tooth from further fracturing or deteriorating, a Crown could also be used to replace a discolored or badly shaped tooth or protect a tooth that has had a root canal. Lastly, a new Crown is necessary to simply replace an old worn down or defective crown, it normally takes 2 visits for your dentist to complete your Crown.
On your first visit, a local anesthetic is administered to make the procedure more comfortable, during this visit your dentist will use a dental handpiece to shape and prepare the tooth so the Crown can properly fit over it. In some instances, the tooth may need an additional procedure to replace areas of decay or old fillings to better support the Crown. Next, an impression of the tooth is taken and a temporary crown is inserted to protect the prepared tooth, this impression is then sent to a dental laboratory where a custom-fit permanent crown is made. In some cases on your second visit, the permanent crown is placed and if necessary adjusted to create a proper fit, if the fit shape and color of the Crown are satisfactory your dentist will proceed with permanently cementing it into place. Keep in mind in some instances the Crown received back from the laboratory may not fit as expected in these cases, your dentist may need to take a second impression or readjust the tooth in order to fabricate a Crown that fits just right.
After, the successful completion of the Crown it is not uncommon to feel some discomfort or mild pain when you chew or sensitivity to temperature changes for a few days. As advised by your dentist you can take over-the-counter pain medicine to alleviate the discomfort, if these symptoms persist more than a few days visit your dentist. finally, if your newly cemented Crown feels too tall or your bite doesn’t feel right you should contact your dentist for further adjustment of the Crown you may ask yourself, can’t I just get a filling instead? The answer is usually no. When a tooth requires a Crown it is already been weakened to the point that it may not be strong enough to support a filling using an unsupported filling instead of a Crown often causes the tooth to fracture beyond the point of repair.
Please keep in mind that the longevity and durability of your crown is directly related to your oral hygiene, and the material selected to make the Crown. All-porcelain crowns are generally considered the most aesthetic choice since they closely resemble the color and appearance of your teeth, porcelain continues to improve, and in fact, there are newly developed porcelain materials such as zirconium and Empress too, that can better withstand the forces of chewing. Porcelain crowns can give you the Hollywood smile that you’re looking for, if you have any additional questions please consult your dentist.
