When a tooth has been significantly damaged, decayed, or broken, a dental crown is placed on top to cover all of the surfaces of the tooth. A crown can be thought of as a very strong, durable protective cap that is used to prevent a tooth from breaking, becoming further damaged, to restore missing tooth structure, or to cover up aesthetic imperfections.
They are sometimes placed after a root canal procedure in molars because they have been weakened during the treatment process and withstand a lot of chewing force. Crowns are also used to complete other tooth restorations like dental bridges and dental implants.
Crowns can be used for both restorative and cosmetic purposes and different materials are used depending on the case. If you’re interested in dental crowns, call (951) 444-7010 contact us at Corona Smile Shoppe to schedule a consultation with your Corona dentist.
Dr. Martinez will assess your tooth during a consultation to determine if there is any active tooth decay that needs to be removed and if your tooth is suitable for a dental crown. To prepare a tooth to receive a dental crown, we need to shave down the tooth to remove a layer around the entire tooth.
This creates the ideal shape to fit inside the thickness of a dental crown. Impressions are then taken of your filed-down tooth and sent to a dental lab. They will fabricate the tooth at their lab. If you are receiving a tooth-colored crown, a shade guide is used to match the crown’s shade to your natural tooth shade.
Crown fabrication can take a few weeks so a temporary immediate crown will be placed until your official one is ready. Once we receive the dental crown, you will return for a separate appointment. We will have a crown fitting, where we check how the crown looks, fits and feels. If it’s satisfactory, the crown will be bonded into place.
A lab-made crown is a dental crown that has been fabricated in an outside dental lab out of various materials. This is different from a CEREC crown, which is milled out of a slab of ceramic using digital 3D scans that essentially 3D print a crown right there in the dental office during the same appointment. While this may sound convenient, it also has a lot of limitations.
Firstly, CEREC crowns can only be made out of ceramic, which is a fragile material not suitable for all uses, especially in the rear molars. Lab-made crowns can be made out of porcelain, ceramic, zirconia, gold base metal alloys, stainless steel, or porcelain-fused-to-metal. Here at Corona Smile Shoppe we offer both lab made and CEREC same day dental crowns, so our we can asses your situation and recommend the perfect fit for you.
This depends on many different factors, such as the type of crown material, the location of the tooth, your lifestyle, and oral hygiene. Generally speaking, porcelain and ceramic crowns are the most fragile and prone to chipping and cracking. This gives them a much shorter lifespan than zirconia or metal-based crowns, which are made of much stronger and more durable materials.
Dental crowns are necessary when you have a chipped or cracked tooth. The crown covers up the defaced tooth so you can have flawless teeth and regain confidence. It also protects the damaged teeth from further damage.
Crowns also work for badly decayed teeth, covering the decay and preventing its spread to other teeth. In cases of large fillings, a dental crown is a more effective and better-looking alternative to dental filling. It’s not only more secure, but also helps strengthen the damaged teeth.
You might also need a crown if you have severely discolored teeth. Dental crowns cover the stained teeth giving you a bright white smile.
Moreover, dentists sometimes recommend dental crowns after root canal treatments. Root canals sometimes compromise the structural integrity of your teeth. Dental crowns provide much-needed stability for teeth after root canals to keep them from cracking when biting down. And that’s not all, as you may also need a crown to hold a dental bridge in place.
Crowns are meant to last a lifetime, but most folks get 15 to 20 years out of these fittings. This could be because the crowns are too old, were improperly placed, or if the patient fails to maintain proper oral hygiene. At the same time, a poorly constructed crown will not sustain normal eating, and may eventually fail even if it stays for the first few weeks or months.
Additionally, tooth decay and gum infections could also compromise the longevity of dental crowns. You see, while crowns are impervious to decay, the teeth holding them are not. Tooth decay below the crown affects how the crown adheres to the teeth and leads to eventual failure. The same goes for gum infections, which cause gum recession and swollen gums.
No, a dental crown procedure and recovering from it are painless. Dentists put patients under local anesthetic during the procedure to keep paint at bay. They use a mixture of epinephrine and lidocaine, which numbs the gums. In some cases, dentists use conscious sedation instead.
That being said, your dentist should install a dental crown on your teeth in two separate sessions. The first session involves prepping the tooth for the crown by reshaping it, preparing the bonding surface, and taking an impression of the crown. The second one involves installing the actual crown and cementing it in place.
However, after the procedure, you may experience a bit of discomfort and sensitivity. Luckily, it only lasts a few days and can be managed using over-the-counter painkillers. During this time, it's best to avoid hot or cold food as they can cause extra sensitivity.
