What You Need to Know About Dental Crowns

What You Need to Know About Dental Crowns

Aug 18, 2019

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap which is placed to cover the tooth or to restore its shape, size, strength and improve appearance.

Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?

  • A dental crown is needed-
  • To protect a weak tooth
  • To restore damaged or broken tooth
  • To cover and support a tooth with a large filling
  • To hold a dental bridge

What Types of Crowns Are Available?

Permanent crowns can be made from stainless steel, metal (such as gold or another alloy), porcelain-fused-to-metal, resin, ceramic.

Temporary crowns are made dentist’s office whereas permanent crowns are made in a dental laboratory.

What Steps Are Involved in Preparing a Tooth for a Crown?

For crown preparation, 2 dental visits are required.

  • Examining and preparing the tooth

In the first visit, the dentist will examine by taking X-rays. They take the impressions of your teeth and send it to a laboratory for permanent crowns.

The dentist will cover the prepared tooth with a temporary crown until the permanent is made.

  • Receiving the permanent dental crown

The dentist will remove the temporary crown and cement the permanent crown in place.

  • How Should I Care for My Temporary Dental Crown?
  • Avoid sticky and chewing hard foods.
  • Minimize use of the side of your mouth.
  • Slide rather than lifting out dental floss when cleaning.

What Problems Could Develop With a Dental Crown?

  • Discomfort or sensitivity
  • Chipped or loose crown
  • Crown falls off
  • Dark line on crowned tooth next to the gum line

What Are “Onlays” and “3/4 Crowns?”

Onlays and 3/4 crowns are variations of dental crowns. They cover the underlying tooth to a lesser extent.

How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

With good oral care, dental crowns last between five and 15 years.

Does a Crowned Tooth Require Special Care?

The crowned tooth does not require any special care but needs to be protected from decay or gum disease. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day.

How Much Do Crowns Cost?

The cost of crowns depends on the type of crown you select. Gold crowns are more expensive than any other crowns.

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