Dental Crowns

Dental Crowns in Dover, Delaware-19901

Dental crowns are a type of restoration that covers the entire surface of a tooth on all its sides. The main intention of placing a dental crown is to strengthen a weakened tooth or correct any cosmetic defects like discoloration. They come in various types and materials and your dentist decides the best one for you according to the site at which your tooth is located and your personal preferences.

Do I require a dental crown?

If your teeth are in the below mentioned situations you may be in need of a dental crown-

ü  Grossly decayed or a big cavity- If your tooth is decayed very badly and a great amount of tooth structure has been lost due to dental decay, you need a dental crown. Decay-causing bacteria burrow the teeth from within and create a hollow inside. Then one fine day, you chew something hard and then the tooth crushes to form a big cavity. If any filling material is used to fill such a tooth, the filling will not stay for a long term. The remaining part of the tooth will break off leaving root pieces buried within the jaw. In such a situation, dental crown is the most suitable treatment option to save the tooth.

ü  Badly discolored- Those who are seriously unhappy with the dark or blackish discoloration of their teeth should think of capping their teeth with dental crowns. Light stains go off through professional cleaning. Few deeper stains get lighter through the process of teeth whitening. If your stains are intrinsic in nature (buried deep within) none of the above mentioned lightening methods can be of any use to you. Placement of a dental crown can help you better.

ü  Chipped off- A tooth that is fractured on its ends due to some traumatic incident can be restored using the option of dental crowns. This is usually in those cases wherein the defect caused is considerably large and composite resin filling might not prove to be sufficiently tough to withstand chewing forces.

How many types of dental crowns are there?

Dental crowns are of several types but basically they can be classified into three kinds-

a.       All ceramic

b.      All metal

c.       Metal-ceramic

All ceramic crowns

As the name suggests, such a crown is made of ceramic or porcelain on all sides. This is done for those people who are extremely concerned about their looks. Your dentist will prefer to place an all–ceramic crown for you in the front teeth. The cost for such crowns is on a higher side. They are more tenacious as compared to the rest of the options. To accommodate an all-ceramic crown more amount of tooth has to be drilled off. It is preferred over other options by most of the people because ceramic comes in various shades and an almost exact match to the existing teeth can be selected.

All metal crowns

This type of crown is used to cover grossly decayed milk teeth in kids. This can be a preferred choice for the back teeth but never for the front teeth.

Metal-ceramic crowns

This type of crown has two layers. The first layer is of metal over which an additional thin layer of ceramic is placed. This is to utilize the benefit of both the materials. It is a cost-effective combo which provides your tooth with optimum strength and natural looks. Hence, it is a preferred kind of crown that can be used in those individuals who are in the lookout for an affordable and esthetic option.

 What is the procedure of placement of a dental crown?

For a dental crown to be placed, you need to go to your dentist at least twice. In the first appointment, the tooth in question is cleaned and trimmed on all the sides. The reduction of the tooth on the chewing surface also as the bulk of the crown rests there. Basically, your dentist creates a miniature of your tooth on the same tooth so that sufficient space is created for a crown for its placement. Generally, this trimming procedure is carried out after injecting a shot of local anesthesia so that you do not feel any sensitivity or pain during trimming. Now an impression of the trimmed tooth is recorded. This is sent to the laboratory for the fabrication of a dental crown.

Meanwhile, the reduced tooth is capped with a temporary crown to protect the tooth from any mechanical trauma or thermal insult. As the tooth is in a reduced size there are chances that it may break under chewing forces if left open. You may experience sensitivity from hot or cold on a reduced uncovered tooth.

You will be called for your next appointment once your dental crown is ready. The crown is cemented to the tooth after removing the temporary crown.

To find out more about our Dental Crowns, call us at our office today if you are in Dover Delaware area!