Dental crown treatment A dental crown, more popularly known as jacket crown, is a restoration that covers the tooth crown. It is a restoration, meaning it is placed over the involved tooth instead of inserted into the tooth like your ordinary amalgam or composite fillings.
A dental crown treatment is usually made of metal, porcelain, or a combination of the two. Crowns are preferred over fillings in several situations, some of which are listed below:
Your tooth is badly-broken down
A badly-broken tooth – one that has been extensively destroyed by decay – may not be amenable to a simple filling. That’s because the tooth is already too weak, and ordinary restorations actually have a wedging effect that could further weaken it.
Therefore, a dental crown treatment is often necessary because it strengthens and reinforces the remaining tooth structure by “hugging” them together and providing protection against biting forces.
Your tooth is root canal treated
A tooth that requires root canal treatment (RCT) is usually an already badly-broken down one. Add to that the amount of tooth structure removed during RCT which make the tooth even weaker and more prone to fracture. The RCT-treated tooth may also get discolored over time. Unless RCT is intentionally done on a sound tooth, the usual minimum requirement in most RCT cases is full coverage restorations like dental crowns.
You have a large filling that must needs replacement
Large fillings indicated for replacement usually have a recurrent decay underneath. Even if the decay is small, digging out the older restoration often means some tooth structure will have to be removed in the process.
And even more, the structure will be drilled out as part of the tooth preparation for the new restoration. This means that only a small percent of the original crown structure will remain, making the tooth much weaker. Thus, a dental crown treatment would be the more appropriate option.
You are advised to replace a missing tooth with fixed bridge
Replacement of missing tooth or teeth may be done by means of removable dentures, fixed bridges, and dental implants. Removable dentures are the cheapest yet least desirable of the three, while dental implants are the best but the most expensive.
Thus, the middle ground would be fixed bridges. The dental crowns serve as retainers that anchor the pontic (replacement tooth or teeth) to the adjacent teeth.
You have a dental implant
A few months after the surgery, your dentist will attach a dental crown on the exposed part of the implant.
Your tooth is fractured
A tooth that fractured due to trauma or extensive caries is not indicated for a simple filling anymore. Instead, a post, core, and dental crown treatment are advised. RCT is also required. After RCT, your dentist will put a post inside the root canal of the tooth, followed by a core then the dental crown. The post may be prefabricated or custom-made depending on the case and your preference.
You wish to improve the appearance of your teeth
If your tooth is grossly discolored or unusually-shaped, dental crown treatment is the perfect solution to improve its appearance. Even minor tooth rotations or malpositions may be solved by dental crowns in lieu of orthodontic treatment. Metal-porcelain crowns combine the strength and durability of metals with the supreme esthetics of porcelain.
Now that you know when your case will need dental crown treatment, the next thing to look for is a dental crown San Diego dentist who will do the procedure for you. Dr. Safarian has lots of experience with placing dental crowns regardless of whatever material they’re made of.
Schedule an oral examination with Dr. Safarian now and find out how a dental crown treatment will bring out the best in your smile!