Dental crowns are fantastic tools to prevent further tooth decay and protect weakened teeth. With ceramic and porcelain materials, they blend in perfectly with your smile. How do you know if you need a crown? After an exam, our dentists will let you know if a crown will be in your future treatment plan. This article explains situations where you’ll need a crown, how they’re placed, what materials are used, and how to take care of your crown.
Why Do I Need a Crown?
Large Cavities
The only way to cure a tooth from decay is to remove the decayed portion (the cavity) and fill it with a composite material. In most cases, the filling will work great and the tooth is strong again. When a cavity has decayed most of the tooth, no amount of composite will make the tooth strong enough to withstand daily chewing and wear. Instead of risking a broken filling, we prepare the tooth for a crown instead. A crown is significantly stronger than a filling and it’ll protect the weakened tooth.
Root Canals
During a root canal, the tooth has to be significantly weakened to reach the pulp (or root) of the tooth. After the pulp is removed, all that is left is a ring of dentin and enamel. The tooth is then filled with a temporary filling until the infection clears, then it is capped with a strong crown.
Broken Teeth
Teeth that are chipped and broken benefit from a crown. If you’ve chipped a front tooth, we can form a permanent crown to look just like your tooth before it was chipped. The crown will match your bite, match the color of your enamel, and restore your tooth back to new.
How Crowns Are Placed
Prepping a tooth for a crown is as easy as prepping a tooth for a filling. After the tooth has been cleaned from the decay, it is shaped around the edges to fit the crown. The crown is then filled with cement and fitted onto the tooth.
Types of Crowns
Stainless Steel
Crowns that are made of steel are strong, cheaper than other materials, and last a long time. Typically, children that struggle with dental hygiene will receive stainless steel crowns to protect their baby teeth and their underlying adult teeth from further decay. Adults often receive stainless steel crowns either as a cheaper alternative or as a temporary crown while their permanent crown is being made.
Ceramic or Porcelain
The best advantage to having a ceramic or porcelain crown is that the coloring of the material will match the tint of your enamel and it will match your bite. We will take an impression of the surrounding teeth and make the crown custom to fit with the surrounding teeth.
Resin
All resin crowns will match your enamel’s color, but is also the cheapest option because the material is not as strong as others available. It can work as a fantastic temporary crown while a permanent crown is being made or you’re deciding on what permanent crown material to go with, but it will not last an entire lifetime.
Metal
The most durable type of crown available is metal crowns. They’re made of metal alloys creating the most reliable chewing surface. The only drawback might be the price, because these metal alloys are not cheap to make. But, if you’ve had other crowns break on you in the past, it might be the best solution for your bite.
Porcelain and Metal
Crowns that have the durability of metal crowns, but also have the tinted enamel to match the rest of your grin are made of both porcelain and metal. While it is the most expensive option available, the lasting results and matching cosmetic possibilities makes it a rather attractive option.
How Do I Take Care of My Crown?
Right After Your Appointment
While the cement dries quickly, it does take some time to set best. While it dries, avoid sticky foods that will pull the cemented crown up. If you eat afterwards, chew with the other side of your mouth to prevent moving the crown as the cement dries.
How Do I Take Care of My Crown?
Right After Your Appointment
While the cement dries quickly, it does take some time to set best. While it dries, avoid sticky foods that will pull the cemented crown up. If you eat afterwards, chew with the other side of your mouth to prevent moving the crown as the cement dries.
Taking Care of Your Crown Over Time
Keeping the area around your crown clean by flossing, brushing regularly, and using mouthwash will help the gums around your crown stay healthy and the teeth around it to also stay clean. Keeping the gums around your crown is important because even though the tooth is no longer susceptible to decay, you can still develop gingivitis around the crown.
If you have a temporary crown made of resin, ceramic, or porcelain, it’s more susceptible to breaking under pressure by chewing hard foods with the side of the mouth your crown is on. A broken crown re-exposes the underlying tooth to decay, and if bacteria gets trapped in the broken crowns cracks, decay is inevitable. If you’ve noticed your crown has a crack or a chunk of it has broken off, make an appointment to come in as soon as you can.