What are Crowns?
A strong and healthy smile is your birthright. If you have a tooth that's lost some oomph over the years, a crown is a wonderful option for restoring your smile to its glory days.
Crowns are synthetic caps, typically made of porcelain, metal, or a combination of the two, which are placed on top of a tooth to restore its function and appearance. Crowns are often used to restore a tooth when decay has become advanced, especially after a restorative procedure such as a root canal. They can also be used to attach bridges, cover implants, salvage a cracked tooth, or stabilize an existing filling that has become loose. Crowns can also serve a purely aesthetic use, restoring a stained or discolored tooth to its original color.
Crowns can occasionally be confused with veneers, but they serve different purposes. Veneers are typically applied to relatively small areas and serve a more cosmetic function.
What is the Procedure for Getting Crowns?
Your dentist will numb the area to be treated, making sure you're comfortable. Next, an impression of your bite is created and sent to a special lab where your custom crown or crowns will be fabricated. This may take a few weeks and you'll be fitted with a temporary crown in the meantime. When the permanent crown is ready, you'll return to the office and dental cement will be used to secure it into place.
Crown Care Best Practices
Crowns can last for eight years or more with the proper care. In order to make sure your crowns have a long and healthy lifespan, it's important to floss regularly to avoid plaque buildup. You should also avoid eating brittle foods so as not to compromise the crown. Behaviors such as jaw clenching or bruxism can also threaten the integrity of a crown. If you suffer from this condition, we can help you find a solution.