What Can Dental Crowns Do?
Dental crowns can be used in many situations to repair teeth or restore their appearance. Dental crowns are used when a tooth needs repair that provides beautification, protection, and support. They are commonly used for:
- Decayed teeth repair
- Cracked teeth repair
- Worn teeth restoration
- Small tooth augmentation
- Bite reconstruction
- Dental bridge support
- Dental implant completion
Dental crowns are often used to repair teeth that have been weakened. Commonly, this is caused by tooth decay. Sometimes a dental crown is the first restoration for a badly decayed tooth. Other times, a crown is used when secondary cavities or other damage develops around large cavities. Dental crowns can even be used to protect a tooth after root canal therapy.
When trauma causes a tooth to crack in a way that jeopardizes the integrity of a tooth, a dental crown can hold it together.
When your teeth get worn down through normal use or because of a bad bite, dental crowns can help restore teeth to their former height, and provide the built up tooth with needed support.
If your teeth are naturally small, porcelain veneers are often used to build them up to an attractive height, but sometimes the tooth needs more support, so a dental crown is used.
If we have determined that bite reconstruction is the best approach for treating TMJ or other bite problems, dental crowns are often called on to support back teeth where pressure is greatest.
Dental crowns can even help replace a missing tooth. A dental bridge is supported by dental crowns over neighboring teeth. A dental implant is completely covered up by the gums and bone: it’s the attractive dental crown we see.
How Dental Crowns Work
Dental crowns are like sheaths of advanced ceramic that slip over a tooth. They cover the entire tooth from the gumline up. A dental crown gives your tooth an entirely new exterior, including the chewing surface.
First, your tooth is prepared to receive dental crown. This is done to remove damaged tooth material and to shape the tooth to maximize support for the dental crown. In some cases, preparation of the tooth may involve root canal therapy, which removes the infected material from inside a tooth.
Next, we will take impressions of your teeth. These impressions, along with precise instructions for making your restoration, are sent to a dental lab. You will wear a temporary crown while your new crown is manufactured.
When your permanent crown is ready, we will try it on to ensure proper fit and color. Then we will bond it on permanently.
Advanced modern crowns are highly durable and are expected to last ten years or more.
Would you like to learn how dental crowns can help restore your smile to full function and beauty? Please call 940-322-2252 or contact us today for an appointment at StarImage Dentistry in Wichita Falls, TX.
