Dental Crown

Is a fixed prosthetic “cap” that is placed on a tooth to improve its function, anatomy, and aesthetics. Dental crowns are very commonly used and can be made of different materials such as metal, porcelain combined with metal, all-resin, but lately with the advance of technology all-porcelain and zirconia crowns are the best options.

Dental crowns are the most commonly used fixed restorations. They are indicated in so many cases and have a very versatile use. Whether it’s a missing tooth and they are a part of a bridge, a severely damaged one, aesthetic reasons, these are all reasons of why a patient might need to get a crown. Dental crowns are also placed on top of implants.

Uses:

A damaged tooth is the number one use for dental crowns. The damage can be caused by dental caries or a traumatic factor. Sometimes people trip, fall, get hit, so teeth can easily break. If a composite restoration is not the answer, then the second thing to get is a crown. When it comes to caries, some teeth are severely damaged and need to be restored with a fixed crown. There are patients that need to get crowns for a better appearance of their smile as a part of a cosmetic procedure. These patients might have discolored teeth or teeth affected by a certain condition.

Procedure:

The first step is a visit to the dentist and consultation. If your dentist thinks that a crown is something you should consider, you have to decide which type you’ll get. The prices vary from the material. The latest crowns that are fully made of porcelain with the CAD/CAM system are the most expensive one. The following step includes taking a dental impression from both of your jaws. If you decide to go with the CAD/CAM system you skip this step and the dentist will get 3D images from your mouth with a special camera. Once he has the impression, he sends it to the dental lab. Technicians create the crown and send it back to the office. The dentist will try it on, and if you are happy with the final result you will leave with a new crown. Sometimes there are still small changes that need to be made. The crowns are bonded to the teeth with special materials.

Importance:

Crowns are made to completely restore the anatomy of a tooth. When the tooth is suffering from a large decay or is broken, chipped, the function of that tooth is impaired. The patient is not able to eat, bite, chew, and might feel ashamed because of the bad look of his smile. First of all, with the new crown, all of the normal functions in the mouth are restored, including eating, speaking, chewing, and the general appearance. Crowns are esthetic restorations that look exactly like the remaining teeth. The only thing that is a disadvantage is that they can be very expensive and a lot of people can’t afford them. In some cases, crowns are used in cosmetic dentistry for people who want a better-looking smile.