What is the purpose of a dental crown?
You may need a dental crown to:
– To prevent decayed teeth from breaking or to hold those that remain together.
– To replace a tooth that has worn down or been broken.
– To support or cover a tooth or teeth with a large filling when there is not much of the tooth left. This allows the dental bridge to stay in place.
– To conceal discolored or misshapen teeth.
– To conceal a dental implant.
– To change a toothâs appearance.
– To protect an infant’s tooth who may be at high risk for decay.
– To minimize children’s anesthesia used because of their age or past medical history.
There are special crowns called stainless steel crowns that a pediatric dentist may recommend in some cases.
Are there different types of crowns available?
One type of crown is the permanent crown, which can be made out of many metals, such as stainless steel, and gold. A stainless steel crown is the only prefabricated crown; they are used temporarily on permanent teeth. Children are usually fitted with stainless steel crowns over their primary teeth that have been prepared. In general, the crown protects the entire tooth from further decay. Primary teeth typically fall out when they need to make room for permanent teeth. Children’s teeth usually get stainless steel crowns due to the fact that kids don’t have as many dental check-ups as adults do. There are metal alloys in a crown, and the alloys include a high proportion of gold, and platinum, based metal alloys. Biting and chewing can be rough on metal crowns, but they can last a long time before beginning to wear out. They are also seldom chipped or broken. Patients dislike the metallic color of the gold and the price of gold, which is quite high. Metal crowns are excellent for molars that cannot be seen.
It is possible to change the color of porcelain fusion dental crowns to match the color of your teeth, something that metallic crowns cannot do. Comparatively, this crown type causes more wear and tear to the opposing teeth than metal or resin crowns. Crowns can have porcelain pieces chipped or broken off. Ceramic crowns look very different from porcelain fused crowns, which look the closest to actual teeth. Occasionally, a dark line will appear near the gum line, and may be more pronounced when the gums recede. This is caused by metal beneath the porcelain crown. The best places to use these crowns are when they are placed on back teeth. They also work well as long bridges where they lend the most strength. Crowns made of all resin are among the least expensive. Although they do wear and tear over time, they are more prone to fractures and damage than porcelain fused crowns. People who are allergic to metals should choose ceramic or porcelain dental crowns for their natural color match. Having all ceramic crowns on both sides of your teeth is also an option.
The difference between temporary and permanent
The dental office usually makes temporary crowns, while dental labs typically make permanent crowns. Stainless steel or acrylic crowns are usually temporary restorations fabricated by the dentist until a permanent one can be constructed in the laboratory.
When a tooth is prepared for a crown, what steps are involved?
In order to prepare a tooth, two visits are necessary, the first being to prepare, examine, and prepare the tooth for crowning. Once the permanent crown has been placed, the final visit will involve placing a temporary crown.