What You Need to Know About Dental Crowns
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.