Dental Crowns: Types, Uses, Procedure
Dental crowns are commonly used to address tooth problems stemming from decay, damage and discoloration. A crown is basically a custom-made, tooth-shaped cap that is designed to completely encase a damaged tooth.
Why You May Need a Dental Crown
Dentists use crowns to address a variety of issues.
- Crowns are most often used to improve the cosmetic appearance of a discolored, misshapen, broken or worn down tooth.
- In many cases, a dental crown is used to strengthen a tooth that might be brittle or weakened by decay.
- They are used to hold bridges in place.
- They are used to cover the small titanium posts that extrude from the gums in dental implants.
Types of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are available in a wide variety of materials. Many are made from porcelain fused to metal. Some are made from metals such as gold alloy, palladium and nickel. In other cases, they are made from resin or are all-ceramic or all-porcelain. Each material has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.
A metal crown for instance is durable and light weight and seldom breaks or chips. Importantly, less tooth enamel needs to be removed from a tooth in which a metal crown is being fitted. However, their metallic color means they are best suited for molars and out of sight teeth.
Similarly, a crown that is made from porcelain fused to metal is cosmetically better looking because it can be color-matched with the other teeth. However it is susceptible to chipping and cracking and can also cause teeth on the opposite side of the crown to wear down quicker. All-resin crowns are the least expensive option but they are also the least durable and seldom last more than a few years. Both, all-porcelain and all-ceramic crowns are popular because they allow for the best color matching among all the other materials. However, the two materials are also more susceptible to breaking and chipping than all-resin and all-metal.
Dental Crown Procedure
The actual process of fitting a crown takes at least two visits to the dentist’s office. During the first dentist visit examines the affected tooth or teeth to determine if the nerve or surrounding tissues are infected and needs to be treated. The tooth is then filed along the top and the edges to accommodate the new crown. If a tooth is broken or chipped, the dentist applies a putty-like filling material to rebuild the tooth. A mold of the tooth is then taken, color matched and sent to a dental laboratory which then makes the tooth crown.
With proper care, dental crowns can last for years and significantly enhance the appearance, health and function of a damaged tooth.