Get Facts About Dental Crowns

Before you get your dental crowns, get the facts so you are in-the-know during the whole process.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are tooth-shaped and often tooth-colored restorations for damaged, cracked, decayed, chipped, or vulnerable teeth. A dental crown is bonded over the remains of a tooth that has been damaged and encapsulates the entire tooth to act as protection as well as an aesthetic improvement. Crowns are normally used when there is insufficient tooth structure left for it to support or protect itself.

Dental Crowns are Used for Cosmetic Purposes

Dental crowns are applied to enhance the appearance of a tooth. They are commonly created to close spaces, cover misshapen teeth, disguise discolored teeth, and perfect teeth with worn enamel.

Dental Crowns are Custom-Designed

Dental crowns are custom-created to fit your tooth. They are most often designed and created in a dental laboratory and sent back to your dentist's office after creation. Dental crowns are made based on impressions that are taken of the teeth in need and the teeth nearby so that they fit in perfectly with your smile.

Dental Crowns are Made of Many Material Options

Crowns can be created from many different materials depending on your needs, wants, and your budget. Gold alloys, all ceramic or porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or other metal alloys are all common materials used for crowns. Most alloys contain palladium, nickel, chromium, or zirconium for durability and strength. The metal alloy crowns are often stronger than the ceramic options due to the metal framework. However, ceramic and porcelain crowns are tooth-colored and more aesthetically pleasing. If you want tooth-colored crown options near the front of your mouth for appeal and metal alloy crowns near the back for strength, this is both doable and common.

Dental Crowns are Long-Lasting

Most dental crowns last from 5-15 years. Materials play a large part in how long they last, as well as care. Crowns that are cleaned daily and used gently provide you with longer-lasting coverage, sometimes more than 20 years. Visits to the dentist regularly can also lengthen the life of your crowns.

Dental Crowns Require Tooth Preparation

If you are receiving dental crowns, your teeth will need to be prepared beforehand for the longest lasting coverage and adhesion. The preparations that will be made will also help the crown to fit more securely on your tooth and look more natural when next to your other teeth. In some cases, a foundation will need to be built up on your tooth if it has experienced damage or decay in order to hold the crown on more securely. In other cases, your tooth will need to be narrowed or ground down to create a crown that is the same height and size as your other teeth. These alterations will also help the crown fit in place over your teeth easier. The dental crown will be fitted into place after its creation for a drastic tooth improvement.

These are the basic facts that you should know about dental crowns. Depending on the materials you choose, a dentist may go over additional information about care and application.