Dental Crown
Mooresville, NC
 Your teeth are incredibly strong. They are the hardest substance contained in the human body. They are even harder than your bones! Even so, they are not indestructible. Your teeth can be faced with physical damage or decay that can compromise the structure and the health of your teeth, putting them at risk for further harm or painful infections. When your teeth are damaged, treatment is needed immediately. Parkway Dentistry at Langtree can help with dental crowns.
What is a Dental Crown?
Minor damage to your teeth that only affects the enamel usually only affects the appearance of the teeth. However, if your teeth are affected by more significant damage or decay, the health of your teeth and their appearance are affected. This type of damage can compromise the structural integrity of your teeth as well as put them at risk for serious, painful, infections. Where we might traditionally restore the tooth with a filling, larger areas of decay or damage require a dental crown instead.
A dental crown is a treatment designed to restore a damaged or decayed tooth. It is similar to a cap, which covers the entire visible surface area of a damaged tooth, restoring its strength while also providing it with protection. A crown is also used to cover dental implants that are replacing a single missing tooth, or several missing teeth.
What Types of Dental Crowns are Available?
There are a couple of different types of crowns available.
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Metal, or gold. Metal crowns have been in use for a long time. They were originally the only type of dental crown available and are still in use today. Metal crowns are known for their unmatched strength. Metal crowns, including gold, are practically indestructible and can last 50 years or more. The biggest disadvantage of metal and gold crowns, however, is their color. Many patients are not fond of the idea of having a gold or silver tooth in their mouth, especially if the tooth is visible when you smile.
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Ceramic. Ceramic crowns are a more recent but highly popular treatment. This material looks exactly like the rest of your natural teeth. It can be finished with a perfect color match, and ceramic even reflects light just like tooth enamel. While ceramic is not as strong as metal, it is still fairly resilient. Once set in place, no one will be able to tell the difference between the crown and your real teeth. |
Getting Your Dental Crown
It generally takes two separate appointments to place a dental crown. During the first appointment, the tooth is prepared. This process, done under a local anesthetic, involves removing a portion of the enamel from the tooth to make it smaller. This is an important step to ensure that the crown fits perfectly in with the rest of your teeth. After the tooth is prepared, we then take an impression.
The impressions are sent to our dental lab, where your crown is custom designed and fabricated. It can take up to two weeks for your final crown to be completed, so a temporary crown is placed to protect the tooth while you wait. Once the crown is ready, you return for your second appointment. We check the crown to make sure that it fits and that your bite is natural. If everything looks good, the crown is bonded into place on the tooth with special dental cement.
The Benefits of a Dental Crown
Dental crowns provide numerous benefits, including
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Protecting teeth from further damage.
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Preventing infections.
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Restoring strength.
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Preventing the need for an extraction.
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Ceramic crowns restore the appearance of your smile.
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Crowns also function to hold dental bridges in place or to replace teeth with dental implants. |
When faced with tooth damage, it is essential that you seek treatment right away, even if the damage does not seem that serious. A dental crown not only restores the strength to a damaged tooth, but it also aids in protecting the tooth from further damage and serious infections. Call Parkway Dentistry at Langtree at (704) 662-0021 today for more information and to schedule your appointment.
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