Gradually our teeth begin to deteriorate and become more prone to issues such as decay, fractures, staining and others problems. If you feel your smile isn’t what you want, crowns can help you recover your smile. If your dental professional notices that a tooth is rotted or seems weakened/cracked a crown might be needed to see to it that there are no additional problems with the tooth. In cases like this a filling or bonding will not be adequate.
Crowns can be made from porcelain, porcelain merged to metal, or a filled gold crown. To preserve a natural feel and look a porcelain completed crown is best, as it can be matched to the shade of your other teeth. This will enable it to mix in and appear just like among your natural teeth.
The process of making a crown usually takes 2-3 visits to the dental practitioner. First the tooth will be reshaped by filing down the enamel so that the crown can be positioned over it. You will be given a regional anesthetic before this part of the treatment so that you do not experience any discomfort. As soon as the tooth has been reshaped, a mold will be taken of that tooth and the surrounding teeth. This mold will be sent to a dental laboratory so that your brand-new crown can be made so that it fits in the area developed for it and looks the same relative to the surrounding teeth. Before leaving, your dental professional will fit you with a temporary crown until your crown is fabricated by the lab.
The crown usually takes about 2 weeks to be back to your dental professional. At this time you will have another visit to place and fit the crown. When you look in the mirror, you will see your old smile back. Crowns are durable and will usually last a very long time. You need to take care of it as you would any of your other teeth with regular brushing and flossing. Call us today if you would like to learn even more about how crowns can help restore your smile.