DENTAL CROWNS​

DENTAL CROWNS​

Teeth are pretty incredible. Even though they are small, they are exceptionally strong. They allow you to bite and chew numerous different types of foods, as well as a variety of different textures. The teeth are the strongest substance in the human body, stronger than your bones. Despite this fact, they can still face harm. Teeth can become damaged or suffer decay. When this happens, the structure of the affected teeth is compromised, as is the health of your mouth. At Lasting Smile Dental, we can restore damaged teeth with crowns.

Restorations for Damaged Teeth

Minor damage to your teeth that only affects the enamel layer is typically harmless and only causes cosmetic issues. However, if the damage is more severe, the structural integrity of the affected teeth is compromised, as is the health of your mouth. Severely damaged teeth can allow bacteria into the inner layers of your teeth, leading to a painful infection. 

dental crown
dental crowns

What is a crown

A crown is a treatment designed to restore the health of a damaged tooth and restore its strength. It resembles a cap in appearance, and it covers the entire visible portion of a damaged tooth. The crown helps to prevent serious complications with the tooth while restoring its normal functioning.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CROWNS

 

Crowns can be made from some different materials. Each type of material has its advantages and drawbacks.

  • Metal crowns are the strongest crowns available and are practically indestructible. They can last 50 years or more. Despite their strength, they are either gold or silver in color, making them very noticeable in your mouth.
  • Porcelain fused to metal or PFM. PFM crowns have a metal base that surrounds the tooth with a porcelain coating. The coating helps the crown to appear more natural. One of the biggest disadvantages of this type of crown is that a metal line often shows through the porcelain.
  • Ceramic. Ceramic crowns are the most popular type of crown. The material perfectly mimics the color of your natural teeth, making it impossible to tell the difference between the crown and your real teeth. They are not as strong as metal crowns, but they can last 15 to 20 years or more with proper care.

It typically takes two appointments to place a dental crown. Your first appointment is for preparing the tooth and taking impressions. During the second appointment, the crown is fitted and bonded into place. Preparing your tooth is a process that involves removing a portion of the enamel from the damaged tooth. Reducing the size of the tooth ensures that your crown fits naturally and comfortably in with the rest of your teeth. Your tooth is prepared using a local anesthetic, ensuring that you do not feel any discomfort. After the tooth is prepared, we take an impression of your mouth.
The impressions are sent to our dental lab. There, they are used to custom create your crown. Once it is finished and sent back,  we check it for fit and bite, making sure that no adjustments are needed. If everything looks good, the crown is bonded into place with special dental cement.

 

THE BENEFITS OF CROWNS

 

Crowns provide several significant benefits, including:

  • Protecting damaged teeth from further harm.
  • Preventing serious infections.
  • Restoring strength and normal function.
  • Preventing the need for a tooth extraction.

With crowns, we can help to protect the health of your teeth while also restoring their strength, helping them to function normally. If you have suffered tooth damage, call Lasting Smile Dental at (586) 207-1091 to schedule your consultation today.