A crown is a restorative procedure used to improve your tooth’s shape or to strengthen a tooth, and is most often used for teeth that are broken, worn or no longer have enough strength remaining to hold a filling. Unlike fillings, which are applied directly to the tooth, a crown is fabricated in a lab based on an impression of your tooth as well as all aspects of your jaw movements and bite.
A dental crown can also be used to protect a tooth after a root canal or to cover a dental implant. Crowns also serve as the “anchors” for dental bridges. No matter their underlying purpose, think of a crown like a “cap” that is cemented onto the part of an existing tooth to serve as its new outer surface.
The dental crowns process
Receiving a crown requires two visits. During the first, the doctor will likely start with x-rays to determine whether a root canal is needed first, then prep the tooth (using anesthetic to numb the area) either by reshaping it along the sides and chewing surface in order to make room for the crown, or by building up a severely decayed tooth to better support a crown. They’ll also take the impression to send to the lab. You’ll also receive a temporary crown to protect the tooth, which will be sensitive.
Next, the tooth receiving the crown is reshaped along the chewing surface and sides to make room for the crown. The amount removed depends on the type of crown used. If, on the other hand, a large area of the tooth is missing (due to decay or damage), your dentist will use filling material to “build up” the tooth to support the crown.
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Finalizing your crowns treatment
Once the permanent crown is ready, the doctor will remove the temporary crown and bond the permanent one to the tooth. And, because your crown is created just for you, it will not only look natural, but return your bite and jaw function to normal.
Crowns can be made of a variety of metals and other materials, but porcelain crowns are most often preferred because they mimic the translucency of natural teeth and are very strong. And although they can become chipped, crowns can last from 5 to 15 years.