A crown is a restoration that covers, or caps, a tooth to restore it to normal shape and size. Its purpose is to strengthen or improve the appearance of a tooth. A crown is placed for a number of reasons:
To support a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
To attach a bridge
To protect weak teeth from fracturing
To restore fractured teeth
To cover badly shaped or discolored teeth
To cover a dental implant
How Is A Crown Placed?
Several steps are involved in placing a crown. Usually at least two visits are necessary. We will prepare the tooth by removing the outer portion to accommodate the thickness of the crown. An impression is made to provide an exact model of the prepared tooth. A dental laboratory technician will then make the crown from the model.
Temporary crowns made of acrylic resins are placed while the permanent crown is made. If the shape or length of your teeth are changed for cosmetic purposes, for example, temporary crowns will allow you to become accustomed to this change. They can also help you decide if you what you see or if there are any changes that you would like made before the permanent crowns are placed.
When the permanent crown is ready, it is adjusted and then cemented in place.
How Do I Take Care Of My Crowns?
Brushing twice a day and cleaning between your teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners (specially shaped brushes and sticks or picks) is especially important when you have crowns. These measures remove a sticky film of bacteria called plaque. It is especially important to remove plaque from the area where the gum meets the tooth. When plaque accumulates in this area, it can cause dental decay or gum disease. To prevent damaging or fracturing the crowns, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects. It is also important to visit our office regularly.
What Will My Finished Crown Look Like?
One of our main goals is to create crowns that look like natural teeth. To achieve this, a number of factors are considered such as the color, occlusion or bite, shape and length of both your natural teeth and of the artificial crown. Any one of these factors alone can significantly affect your appearance.
