Dental crowns are a commonly used restorative dental treatment. They can treat most restorative concerns, including chipped teeth, broken teeth, severely decayed teeth, and more. Groesbeck Family Dental creates custom treatment plans for each one of our patients. We’ll help you determine whether or not dental crowns are the right choice for your needs.
Getting Dental Crowns in Groesbeck, TX
We schedule you for a consultation before any cosmetic or restorative dental treatment. During this, the dentist performs a thorough oral exam and discusses your budget, dental problems, and oral health goals. These things are crucial to determining the right treatment path for you. We want to ensure that a dental crown is the best choice for your unique situation.
If we proceed with a dental crown, we’ll prepare your tooth. We must remove some tooth structure because the crown goes completely over your natural tooth. Removing tooth structure ensures that the crown will sit in the proper place and position to line up with the rest of your teeth. When the tooth is prepared, we take impressions to the dental lab. They craft the crown to fit the size, shape, and shade of the rest of your teeth.
While waiting for your permanent restoration, we’ll fit you with a temporary crown. The lab typically takes 2-3 weeks to complete the restoration. When it’s ready, we’ll call you back into the office. We fit the crown over your tooth and make any small adjustments if needed. Once you’re satisfied with the fit, we’ll permanently bond the crown to your tooth.
The Uses of Dental Crowns
One of the main reasons crowns are so valuable to a dentist is that they can treat so many different conditions. While they’re a restorative treatment option, they also have cosmetic benefits.
Cosmetic Fixes
Professional teeth whitening is often the treatment for discolored teeth. However, some types of discoloration don’t respond to this treatment. Deeper stains and those caused by trauma or medication require a different solution. Each crown is custom, meaning that you choose the shade of white that it is. A crown covers the entire tooth, so no discoloration will be visible.
Deformed or misshapen teeth can make you insecure and self-conscious about your smile. But they also have impacts on the functionality of your smile. Each tooth has an important job to do in your mouth. You may be unable to eat every food you want because your teeth can’t break it down right. It can impact the way you speak, too. We make a dental crown that matches the size, shape, and shade of the rest of your teeth, ensuring that it blends in perfectly with your smile.
Strengthening Your Natural Teeth
When performing a root canal, we remove infected tissue inside the tooth’s center, fill it in with a biocompatible material, and seal it from further bacteria and infection. Sometimes, this doesn’t restore the full function of the tooth. We recommend getting a dental crown to ensure your tooth is completely usable. This provides another barrier against bacteria from entering the natural tooth structure.
A traditional dental bridge uses two natural teeth on each side of its span as anchor teeth to support the restoration. This puts a lot of pressure on these teeth, which wear down faster and are more likely to succumb to tooth decay or damage. When we use dental crowns on these teeth, the crown takes on all the stress instead of the natural tooth. They protect your teeth from the negative effects and pressure.
Treating Damage and Decay
Dental crowns are often the last solution to preserve natural tooth structure when severe dental problems occur. Keeping natural teeth is essential to avoid consequences like jawbone deterioration. Severe decay can eat away large portions of your teeth. When the decay is more than a filling can handle, a dental crown can keep the tooth together and replace the areas where it’s been eaten away. It also protects the tooth from further infection.
When your tooth is shattered, a dental crown can keep the pieces of your tooth together so you can keep the natural tooth structure. A crown can also replace portions of your broken tooth. When you have a serious break, it exposes the sensitive tissue in the tooth’s center. It opens that area up for infection and the exposed nerves are painful. If there’s a sharp edge, it can cut the soft tissues in your mouth. A crown takes care of all of this.
Completing a Dental Implant
Dental implants are the gold standard of tooth replacement. They both look and feel natural in your mouth. The usual choice to complete the dental implant is a crown. They’re crafted to match your natural teeth perfectly, making it impossible to tell that it’s a fake tooth. Dental crowns are the best solution, particularly if you’re getting only one or two implants.
Types of Dental Crowns
Crowns can be made from various materials, each with benefits and drawbacks. The most common materials used include:
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Porcelain or Ceramic: These crowns are popular for their natural appearance, making them an excellent choice for front teeth. Porcelain crowns are highly aesthetic and can be matched to the color of your surrounding teeth.
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Metal Crowns: Typically made from gold, platinum, or base-metal alloys, they are known for their durability and strength. They are less likely to chip or break and require the least tooth removal. However, their metallic color makes them less desirable for visible areas.
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Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM): These crowns combine the strength of metal with the aesthetic appeal of porcelain. They balance durability and appearance, but the metal underlying the porcelain can sometimes show as a dark line, especially at the gum line.
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Zirconia: Zirconia crowns are known for their strength and aesthetics. They are more durable than porcelain and offer a natural look. Zirconia crowns are often used for both front and back teeth.
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Resin: Composite resin crowns are generally less expensive than other types, but they wear down over time and are more prone to fractures.
Caring for Dental Crowns
Taking care of your dental crown is crucial to ensure its longevity and maintain oral health. Here are some tips to help you care for your crown:
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Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss daily. Pay special attention to the area around the crown to prevent plaque buildup.
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Avoid Hard Foods: Chewing on hard foods, ice, or using your teeth as tools can damage or fracture your crown.
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Regular Dental Check-Ups: Visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings. Your dentist will monitor the condition of your crown and the surrounding teeth.
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Address Bruxism: If you grind your teeth at night, consider getting a night guard to protect your crown and other teeth from excessive wear.
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Avoid Sticky Foods: Sticky foods like caramel or chewing gum can dislodge or loosen your crown.
Schedule an Appointment
A dental crown may be the solution you need for your smile. Call our office or schedule an appointment online to get started.