About Dental Crowns
Having a dental crown installed is a very common procedure. Dental crowns may be used to cover worn, broken or rotted teeth, to cover other dental work and the appearance of crooked, even discolored teeth. The procedure is typically done in two visits to the dentist's office. A temporary crown is first installed while a custom permanent crown is manufactured.
Dental crowns are caps that are cemented over a tooth to cover the entire visible portion. Crowns can be made of metal, resin, porcelain or ceramic. Porcelain crowns can be made to match the color of the surrounding teeth for the most natural effect.
Why may a dental crown be needed?
1. Crowns are used to cover dental implants.
2. Crowns can support and cover teeth that don’t have a lot of tooth left due to large fillings.
3. Crowns are used to keep dental bridges in place.
4. Crowns can be used to cover the appearance of misshapen or discolored teeth.
5. Crowns are used to build up broken or worn down teeth.
6. Crowns can protect weak teeth from breaking and hold pieces of a cracked tooth together.
What to expect
Your dentist may take X-Rays to check the condition of the tooth and surrounding bone before installing your crown to ensure a root canal is not needed first. Once it is time to begin the crown process, your dentist will first numb the tooth and surrounding gum. The tooth will be filled down to make room for the crown. The dentist will then make an impression of the tooth with putty. Impressions will also be made of the teeth above or below to ensure your bite is not impacted by the crown. The dentist will send the impressions off to laboratory where the crown to be made. It will be returned to your dentist office in two to three weeks. In the meantime, your dentist will install a temporary crown. Temporary crowns are designed to be used for only a short time and may not hold up well to hard or sticky foods.
You will return for a second visit when your permanent crown arrives. The dentist will remove the temporary crown and make sure the fit and color (if porcelain) of the permanent crown are correct. He will numb the tooth and gums and cement the permanent crown in place.