What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a tooth shaped cap that is placed over a natural tooth. Dental crowns are an important preventative, restorative and cosmetic dentistry tool that can serve many purposes. Crowns will be used to restore dental implants or with a bridge to replace one or more missing teeth. Dental crowns can also be used cosmetically, to cover misshapen or severely discolored teeth. Generally, dental crowns are necessary to cover and protect a weakened tooth.
Uses of Dental Crowns
When a tooth has been weakened by decay or been chipped or cracked in an accident, a dental crown will be used to restore the structural integrity of the tooth. In the case of a severe cavity or root canal procedure, the infected portion of the tooth must be removed. If, after the decay has been removed, there isn’t enough of the natural tooth remaining, a crown is absolutely essential to support the existing tooth structure. In general, removing more than three quarters of a tooth’s natural enamel, dentin and pulp (due to infection), will leave the tooth as a thin shell. This thin shell will not be able to withstand the day to day activities of eating, talking and chewing. A crown will restore a damaged tooth to full natural functionality, in both appearance and feel.
Replace Missing Teeth with Dental Crowns
Leaving gaps where teeth have been removed or fallen out leaves space for your existing teeth to shift, causing problems with your bite and can lead to further decay and other complications. Crowns are a natural looking and functionally effective solution to replace missing teeth. Used in tandem with a bridge, dental crowns are an essential part of replacing missing teeth with a bridge and crown structure. When using a bridge to replace missing teeth, crowns are used to cap and support the natural teeth on either side of the bridge. These crowns support the existing teeth and offer a secure point of attachment for the bridge. Dental crowns are also used to replace teeth with dental implants. A dental implant is a small titanium screw-like piece of hardware that is installed through the gums and into to jaw bone to create a secure base to hold the replacement crown. Dental crowns will be matched to your natural tooth color and custom made to fit your smile perfectly. Both of these restorative procedures use dental crowns to support and enhance a healthy smile, both aesthetically and structurally.
Brandon Dental Crowns
After you and Dr. Pleasant have determined that a dental crown is the best solution for your oral issue, the crown (or crowns) can be placed easily and painlessly in two visits to the Pleasant Smiles Dentistry office. At the first appointment, x-rays of the area will be taken to assess the root of the tooth receiving the crown and the surrounding bone. Then the tooth will be prepared. An anesthetic will numb the area and a small tool will be used to file down the sides and top of the tooth. The tooth must be filed down to make space for the dental crown to fit over it. On the other hand, if a portion of the tooth is missing, Dr. Pleasant will use filling material to build up the tooth structure so it’s big enough to fully support the crown. Once the tooth is prepped, an impression of the tooth and surrounding teeth will be taken. This impression will be used as a model to create a custom crown that fits perfectly over the tooth and won’t negatively affect your bite. At the end of the first visit Dr. Pleasant will place a temporary crown, so you’ll be able to eat, talk and smile normally while the dental lab creates your custom permanent crown. Once we receive the custom crown, you’ll return to the office and have it permanently placed. The temporary crown will be removed and the custom crown will be placed and examined to ensure ideal color and fit. If Dr. Pleasant deems the custom crown perfect, it will be cemented permanently over the tooth. That’s it! You’ll be eating, talking, smiling and laughing with comfort and ease in no time.
Caring For Your New Dental Crown
Immediately after a crown is placed and the anesthesia is wearing off it’s normal to experience sensitivity in the tooth and gums. This sensitivity will diminish as time passes, however, if any nerve tissue remained in the crowned tooth sensitivity to heat or cold may persist. In general, dental crowns do not require special care and should be treated as natural teeth. Good oral hygiene practices should continue with crowns; brushing twice a day, flossing and using mouthwash daily will keep your dental crown and all your teeth healthy. A crown can last 5 to 15 years, depending on how well it’s care for, general wear and tear and other oral habits (nail biting, ice chewing, etc).
Dental crowns have many useful applications in general, restorative and cosmetic dentistry. At Pleasant Smiles Dentistry we offer expert and professional dental crown placement in a comfortable and friendly environment. If you need a new crown to support a weakened tooth or a replacement crown for a damaged or loose old crown make an appointment at Pleasant Smiles Dentistry today!
The Best Brandon Dentists
At Pleasant Smiles Dentistry our Brandon dentists and team strives to give you the highest quality dental treatments in a relaxing and friendly environment. With customized individual dental plans, we can decide as a team how your smile will stay strong, and look and feel great. We believe the best way to help someone in any matter is by getting to know them. If you have any questions regarding dental crowns, or any of our services, feel free to call (601) 825-2411.