A dental crown is a custom-made ceramic or metal cap that fits over a prepared natural tooth. A tooth may need a crown when it has suffered extensive decay, or breakage or has undergone a root canal.
Benefits of Dental Crowns
Restore Natural Tooth Function
With a new dental crown, you can chew without discomfort. You will not have to avoid chewing on a compromised tooth. You can eat almost any food with a crown, though you will need to take care with hard, crunchy, or sticky foods to avoid damaging the crown or pulling it out accidentally.
Strengthen Weak Teeth
If your tooth has experienced decay, breakage, or enamel wear, you may believe you have no option but to have it extracted. A crown can protect your tooth and allow you to regain function without losing the natural root structure.
Improve Your Appearance
Crowns have an attractive appearance and precisely match your natural teeth.
Keep Teeth Stable
If you extract a tooth rather than getting a crown, your other teeth will shift out of their normal positions. You must replace the tooth with a bridge, denture, or implant to avoid this problem. A crown is more cost-effective and preserves tooth alignment.
Long-Lasting
A crown can last five to 15 years and perhaps longer with excellent home care.
The Dental Crown Process
First, the dentist will evaluate the tooth's health and condition. The dentist will check whether the tooth has sufficient structure for a dental crown.
Next, the dentist prepares the affected tooth. They will remove damaged tooth material and a thin enamel layer to allow the cap to fit securely. Local anesthesia will ensure your comfort.
The dentist takes a digital or physical impression of your tooth and the surrounding area. The dental lab will create your final crown with these images or impressions. You will go home with a temporary crown to cover your prepared tooth until the final crown arrives.
Same-Day Crowns
Using the CEREC system, we can often shorten the crown process to just one appointment. CEREC involves taking digital impressions and using these to mill a custom ceramic crown in the office.
CEREC crowns are equal to or better than lab crowns in strength and durability, and they are attractive tooth restorations. Ask your dentist whether a CEREC crown meets your needs.
Call Paramount Dental Arts
A dental crown can restore your damaged or decayed tooth and potentially save it from extraction. Call our Clifton, NJ, office at 973-777-1772 to discover more about dental crowns and how they can preserve your natural teeth.