Dental Crowns- Excellent alternative to an original damaged tooth

Dental Crowns- Excellent alternative to an original damaged tooth

Dec 11, 2019

A dental crown is an artificial cover that is tooth shaped. It covers a particular tooth to re-structure its shape, size, appearance and improve its strength. When the crown is cemented, it fully covers the visible portion of the tooth. They are just like natural tooth and last for about seven years.

Dental Crown Treatment

The dental crown treatment in Phoenix, AZ involves numbing the tooth with local anaesthesia. Then the tooth is shaved down to make place for the crown, and an impression is made of the prepared tooth with a putty-like substance or a digital scanner. The phoenix dentist will then look at the shade of the patient’s teeth using a shade guide or click pictures of the teeth to help the lab technician make crowns that will match the patient’s teeth. A temporary crown is made from acrylic or resin material using a moulding or stent of the original tooth.

During a second visit, it is not necessary to numb the tooth again and the temporary crown will be removed. The permanent crown is placed on the tooth and inspected for acceptable bite, fit and smooth margins. After necessary adjustments have been conducted, the crown is cemented with a permanent cement.

Types of Dental Crowns

  • Metal Crown

Palladium, gold, nickel, or chromium are the metals used to make a dental crown. They are mostly placed in the back teeth so that they remain out of sight. Although they are quite low on aesthetic features, they are durable and can withstand the daily wear down caused by chewing or grinding. This is a less expensive option of dental crown material to opt for.

  • Ceramic Crown

This type of dental crown is translucent and is customised to match the natural tooth colour. Therefore, they can be aesthetically pleasing and nearly unnoticeable. They are however not as durable as metal crowns and can cause the teeth opposite the crown to wear down easily. One can choose ceramic crowns for the front teeth.

  • Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crown

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crown showcase a natural tooth colour but are not as translucent as the ceramic crown. The porcelain part of the crown can also break or chip off because of the wear down with the teeth opposite them. One can choose a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown for the front or the back teeth to take advantage of the strength the metal provides.

  • All-Resin Crown

This dental crown is made of composite material and can be chosen if one is looking for metal-free crowns. Over a period of time, all-resin crowns can be subjected to fractures and break easily than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. The highly polished surface of the composite crown wears out with tooth brushing and leads them to stain easily.

  • Zirconia Crown

This type of dental crown is made from zirconium and when it is fixed on the tooth, it is non-identifiable from the natural set of teeth. This dental crown is durable and can withstand corrosion, adding to its long life, which is not possible in other types of dental crowns.

  • Stainless Steel Crown

This dental crown is a temporary crown that is used until a permanent crown is made. An entire tooth is covered with the crown, protecting it from decay making it the best option for children.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

  • Crowns can improve smile cosmetically- Porcelain and ceramic crowns are an awesome cosmetic restoration for unsightly teeth. Due to their natural appearance, they are a great choice for cracked, broken or yellowed teeth. They are also the best cosmetic solution for missing teeth.
  • Protection for weak teeth- Crowns are a great at serving as protection from further decay, when used to treat teeth which have become damaged, decayed or infected. Since crowns fully cover the tooth, they can act as reinforcement for teeth that are already broken or cracked.
  • Crowns can restore speech- Chipped or missing teeth often give patients a lisp, or make their speech slurred. Crowns can restore the ability to speak confidently without having to worry about restoration falling out or hiding the damaged tooth.
  • Long-lasting treatment-dental crowns can last ranging from 5-15 years. One can expect to enjoy the benefits of their crown for a long time.