Dental Crowns And What You Need To Know About Them

What is a dental crown?

I Dental crowns in Garland are the most versatile prosthesis since they can not only repair the existing damaged tooth but also provide a cosmetic solution for discolored teeth and even be used in a dental bridge to close the gaps that occur due to teeth loss.

What are they made up of?

Dental crowns can be made of various materials such as metals, metal alloys, porcelain or ceramic, acrylic or a blend of metal and porcelain.

The metal, predominantly used in the fabrication of dental crowns in Garland, include stainless steel. Rarely gold crowns are also fabricated owing to the preference of the patient.

Metal alloys such as cobalt chromium and nickel-chromium are used for dental crowns.

Porcelain crowns in Garland are the tooth colored dental crowns and are fabricated only after matching their color to the adjacent teeth and are therefore highly esthetic.

Acrylic dental crowns are most commonly used as temporary dental crowns to prevent any damage to the teeth while the permanent dental crown is being fabricated in a dental lab.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns are also tooth colored except that their inner body is made of metal to provide for the much needed strength while the outer body has a porcelain layer to give it the natural appearance.

What are the types of a dental crown?

Dental crowns are broadly divided into two categories, temporary and permanent.

Temporary crowns are made of resin material and are used to seal and protect your tooth until it gets the permanent crown. Also, sometimes temporary crowns are placed transiently to wait for a tooth to become completely painless before placing the permanent one. Temporary crowns are not as durable as permanent ones since they are not cemented by strong cement.

Permanent crowns, on the other hand, are durable and may be made of various materials such as metal, metal alloys, porcelain and metal fused to porcelain, each having its own set of pros and cons.

Metal and metal alloy crowns are sturdy and they handle masticatory forces very well without chipping off or breaking. However, their only drawback is the color mismatch from the adjacent teeth, which makes them an ideal restoration for back tooth or molars where they are least visible. These are the most cost-effective option for you if you have limited budget.

Porcelain fused to metal or metal ceramic crowns are the most commonly used dental crowns since they have the advantages of both, the strength of metal and the esthetics of ceramic. Although, the porcelain may sometimes chip off from places causing the underlying metal to become visible. Moreover, the porcelain may cause wearing of the opposing tooth when compared to a metal crown. Porcelain crowns can be used to restore front or back teeth since they are both, durable and matches the color of adjacent tooth.

Porcelain crowns in Garland or ceramic crowns in Garland offer the best tooth color matching and are excellent restoration options for front teeth. But, their price is their major drawback, being the most expensive of all the other dental crowns.

When do you need a dental crown?

Your Dentist in Garland may suggest a dental crown in various instances, some of which are:-

- In case of a root canal treatment, to impart strength to the tooth.

- To cover a discolored tooth

- To replace a large restoration in a grossly damaged tooth

- As a part of a dental implant

- In cases of excessive wear of teeth also known as attrition

- In cases of trauma to the tooth where the tooth has been rebuilt with composite.

Do milk teeth also need dental crowns? If yes, why and which ones?

Yes, because if milk teeth fall off well before time, the adjacent teeth move into the space created and eventually the arch space paucity leads to crowding of permanent teeth. Hence, milk teeth, which are grossly decayed or have been root canal treated, are restored by prefabricated stainless steel crowns which fall off with the falling of milk teeth.

What is the procedure for the placement of a dental crown?

Your Dentist in Garland will perform a comprehensive oral examination to assess the health of your teeth and gums. A local anesthesia is administered to numb the area. Thereafter, the tooth to be capped is reduced in size using dental burs to make space for the crown. An impression is made of the prepared tooth after which, a temporary dental crown is cemented onto the tooth for the time being. The shade of the tooth is matched to the adjacent tooth using shade guide and the impression is sent to the dental lab for the fabrication of permanent crown, which is typically cemented in place of the temporary crown after a few weeks.

Is the procedure painful?

The procedure itself is painless since it is done under anesthesia. However, you may feel slight discomfort when the anesthesia wears off. Your dentist in Garland will prescribe you analgesics if you experience any such discomfort.

How can you take care of the temporary dental crown?

Avoid sticky food which may pull off your temporary crown as well as hard food which may cause your temporary crown to crack.

What all precautions should be exercised with a permanent dental crown?

The daily oral hygiene practices should be rigorously followed since even though a capped tooth is safe from decay on the surface but, the gum line is still vulnerable to caries and gum diseases. Therefore, twice daily brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash should be incorporated in your routine.

How durable are dental crowns?

Dental crowns can last anywhere between 5 to 15 years depending upon the oral hygiene routine that you follow as well the amount of stress your tooth is exposed to, on a daily basis. For example, habits such as teeth grinding and chewing ice can drastically reduce the life of your dental crown.