Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are commonly referred to as ‘dental caps’ as they cover the entire surface of a tooth. They are widely used as a restorative appliance to treat teeth that are either cracked, chipped, severely worn out, badly discolored, or weak due to external trauma or lack of nourishment. 

What are the advantages of getting a crown?

• Crowns are made from tooth-colored ceramic material. They can be customized in such a way that they would perfectly mimic the appearance of the natural teeth in terms of color, texture, translucency, and contour.
• The material used to fabricate the crown is dental-grade. It is highly durable, stain-resistant, and wouldn’t chip or break easily.
• Crowns are used for a number of procedures such as treating minor to deep cracks, reshaping chipped teeth, reducing the space between excessively spaced teeth, lengthening the crown of severely worn out teeth, etc.
• They are quite long-lasting. With proper care, they would easily last for several years together.
• Since crowns are cemented onto the existing teeth, they allow us to save the natural tissues of the mouth as much as possible.
• Whenever a tooth is too weak to withstand the stresses while biting and chewing food, it may crumble. This is often encountered when a tooth has undergone root canal therapy. Crowns can help to hold such teeth intact and prevent their failure.

How is a dental crown bonded?

Crowns are used when the tooth doesn't have enough support for a filling so the next option is to fabricate a crown over the tooth. Several factors influence the candidacy to get a crown. Some of them are cavities, oral infections, receding of gums, damage to the teeth, the extent of wear, existing restorations, overall health, etc. After a thorough screening of the oral cavity, we would decide whether or not you are the right candidate for a crown.

A layer of enamel ought to be removed from the tooth in order to accommodate the crown. If this isn’t done, the crown will look too big on the existing tooth structure. Next, a highly precise mold of the tooth will be taken to serve as a reference for fabricating the crown. X-rays and scans may also be taken to get a better view of the tooth. All the data obtained will be sent to a dental laboratory where the crown will be fabricated. Meanwhile, a temporary crown may be placed on the tooth.

Once the permanent crown is fabricated and ready to be bonded, which would take a couple of weeks’ time, you will be prepared for the bonding procedure. The temporary crown will be removed, and the tooth will be cleaned thoroughly. An etching solution is applied to it to roughen its surface. The crown will be placed on the tooth and bonded firmly using dental adhesives. Any changes in alignment, if required, will be made prior to hardening the adhesive using a curing light. A bite test is taken to check the fit and comfort of the restoration.

Please get in touch with us through online consultation or by calling us at (949) 380-0315, and we’ll guide you further.