Explore The Dental Crowns Before Going To A Dentist
A dental crown, also known as a dental cap, is a dental restoration process that applied to cap or borders a tooth during a dental implant. If you have a large cavity that may cause to deteriorate your tooth and your overall tooth health, a crown is required in that case. To be more precise, Dental crowns are the dental restorations process that applied to repair your dented tooth to its natural size and shape. Dental crowns are linked to the teeth permanently by dental cement that has been dented, widely decayed or cracked. Crowns usually made through many types of materials, generally fabricated using ceramics, resin, porcelain-and-metal, or gold. Dental crowns help to halt the deterioration and improve the appearance and strength of your teeth.
Why Should You Need Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns or dental caps can provide shelter for your damaged or weak tooth for a long time, usually 12-15 years. Dental crowns cover all of the perceptible portions of your tooth at and on top of the gum line, and it seems natural tooth as per its feel and appearance. There are different types of dental crowns made through couples of durable materials and it can solve a number of common dental problems in both adults and kids.
Let’ focus when you should need dental crowns.
- If you need to treat a damaged, cracked, or weak tooth from breaking.
- If you need to hold both parts of a broken tooth
- If you need to restore a damaged tooth or already broken tooth
- If you need to make a shelter and cover through a large filling between a big gap of the tooth.
- If your dentist requires to hold a dental bridge in the right place during the dental implant.
- If you want to have a perfect appearance of your misshaped or discolored tooth.
- If you need a cosmetic modification of your tooth.
Above are the reasons that let you consider dental crowns to manage your tooth problems; however, in general, a dental crown is the most important part of a dental implant.
How Do Dental Crowns Work?
Your dentist may ask you for at least two visits within a limited interval of days to complete dental crowns that are required to prepare your tooth for dental crowns to be positioned. Here is a short summary.
1. The first visit requires making a necessary examination, test, and preparing the tooth that will be crowned and also create a tooth impression for constructing the crown. A temporary crown is usually placed as well to protect the tooth.
2. Once the crowns are constructed, the temporary crown will be removed from your tooth and the custom-made crown will be fixed in place as permanent.
What Happens During Your First Visit To Dental Crowns Procedures?
During your first dental visit in dental crowns procedures, the dentist will take an X-ray of your tooth and jawbone to examine the signs of rot or decay and other associated factors that might increase the threat of injury or infection to the soft tissue of your tooth. For some of the patients in a special situation, a root canal treatment may need to be applied earlier to the dental crown placement.
Since different types of crowns need different types of space to be placed on the tooth, so the tooth needs to be reshaped to allow the space for crowning. Any crowns that are metal-based usually tend to be thin and need the elimination of little structure of the tooth; however, porcelain crowns require more space. The surrounding parts of the tooth will be filed down to make a proper shape of the tooth as required for the dental crowns. Any related decay of the tooth also needs to be treated throughout this step. In some of the cases, if a very little tooth structure remains to place dental crowns, a large filling may be required to make up the tooth structure so that the dental crowns can place later in place.
When your tooth has been properly shaped, your dentist will create an impression of your shaped tooth so that the dental crowns can be prepared to fit your tooth as perfectly as possible. Impressions are normally made through a paste that grips the shape of your tooth. Lastly, a temporary dental crown is placed over your tooth to ensure protection until the crown is all set to be fixed in place. This temporary crown will be removed at your next dental visit to make space for the permanent dental crowns.
What Happens During Your Final Visit To Dental Crowns Procedures?
After your first dental visit, the impressions of your teeth are sent to a technician to make a properly-shaped crown. Once the permanent crown has created, it is the right time (the gap between first and second visit usually up to 2 weeks) to place that permanent crown over the tooth.
Before placing a permanent crown on your teeth, local anesthesia is applied to numb the area to avoid pain during the procedures of permanent dental crowns placement. The temporary crown will be removed first before applying permanent dental crowns. Dental cement is usually used to attach the crown in right place over your tooth.
Can The Dentist Complete Dental Crown On The Same Day?
In some of the cases, dental crowns may be built in the same clinic that helps to make and place a permanent crown on the same day, and it is not required to send the impressions to a technician. With computer-aided design software and manufacture, dental crowns might be constructed and place on the same day on your tooth.
Types of Dental Crowns
Before visiting the dentist for dental crowns, this is common that you will think about its types and cost. So, there is nothing to worry about, depends on the demands, there are various types of dental crowns are available. Some common types of dental crowns are the following that might be a help for you.
1. Gold crowns
2. All Porcelain crowns
3. Porcelain Fused-to-Metal Crowns
4. Zirconia Crowns
5. Lithium Disilicate Crowns
6. Stainless Steel crowns
Can Dental Crowns Last A Lifetime?
It varies due to the uses of different types of dental crowns. A properly maintained dental crown can manage a lifetime in the range of approximately five to fifteen years. Porcelain fused to metal and All-porcelain dental also last usually in between five to fifteen years. Metal dental crowns usually last for 20 years or above. On the other hand, zirconia or gold dental crowns can last a lifetime.
How Painful Is Getting Dental Crowns?
Since your tooth and surrounding parts are numbed during dental crowns procedures, so you will not feel it as painful during surgery, however, once the effect of anesthesia removes, you may feel some sensitivity, mild pain and some discomfort in the gums surround your tooth.
How Long After A Crown Can I Eat?
Crown is usually cemented with permanent gum to make it much stronger. However, you are not allowed to chew or sticky foods for 24 hours after surgery to give time to set it properly. You may take normal meals within 2 hours after your treatment.
Should I Need To Dental Check-ups After Dental Crowns?
Yes, it is suggested to manage to visit your dentist for dental check-ups usually twice in a year. There is a possibility of complications after dental crowns even with proper and regular oral care; however, your dentist may advise you during treatment regarding the number of follow-ups after dental crowns.
Such checkups will allow a dentist to inspect the dental crowns cautiously to check if there any problems of it or other adjacent teeth. Aside, the dentist could help you to clean your tooth professionally and could remove any dental tartar or plaque.
Pros and Cons of Dental Crowns
Like any other treatment, dental crowns also have their own pros and cons, which are the following.
Pros of Dental Crowns:
- Protect the damaged, cracked, or decayed tooth by restoring it.
- Protect the broken tooth together by holding it.
- Protect the tooth by large filling between the big gaps of the tooth.
- Support overall dental implant procedures.
- Improve the tooth appearance by modifying its color and shape.
- Support bad-shaped teeth to be shaped.
- A treatment that supports the tooth in the long run.
Cons of Dental Crowns:
- Allergic reaction (Rare)
- The patient may feel discomfort after the crowning.
- Dental crowns are more expensive than most other tooth restoration procedures.
- In some cases, the crown becomes loose due to dental cement that may wash away sometimes and the patient may experiences tooth decay.
How Much Do Dental Crowns Cost?
Costs vary due to different types of dental crowns and their quality and durability. A metal crown made of porcelain-fused can costs in the range of $900 to $1400 per tooth, on the other hand, metal dental crowns made of gold can cost in the range of approximately $900 to $2500 for per tooth. Aside, a porcelain dental crown can cost in the range of approximately $800 to $3000 per tooth.
