Dental Crowns
What to Expect With Crowns
Your dentist may suggest a crown if you have had large cavities, large fillings or breakage in the enamel in your teeth. Crowns can help to restore and preserve your tooth so that you don't have to lose the tooth entirely. When properly cared for, crowns can last for the rest of your life. Your dentist can create crowns that blend seamlessly with the rest of your teeth and completely restore a natural looking smile.
What are Crowns?
Crowns are shaped to fit over existing teeth that have been broken or deteriorated. When a dentist creates a crown, he or she will try to match the color and shape of the surrounding teeth so that the crown looks natural. Crowns can be made from a variety of materials from premade stainless steel crowns as a temporary crown, to yellow gold for back teeth, to white gold with porcelain baked or fused to the surface, and finally all porcelain crowns with no metal at all. Each has it's own indication for use and non-use.
What Happens During the Crown Procedure?
The installation of crowns will usually take two separate visits to the dentist. After the diagnosis, there will be a visit during which the dentist trims the existing tooth to make room for the final choice of crown material. The dentist then takes an impression to send to a lab that will fabricate the crown. A temporary crown will be created to cover the tooth while the permanent crown is being formed. In about two weeks you will return to the dentist and have the temporary crown replaced by the permanent crown
Caring for Dental Crowns
It is very easy to take care of dental crowns so that they will last as long as the rest of your teeth. You should treat your crown the same way you treat the rest of your teeth to keep them healthy. Brush regularly, and floss after each brushing. Rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash can also help you avoid the growth of bacteria.