Do you have a tooth damaged by severe decay or injury? If so, then ask our dentist if we can restore the structure and appearance of this tooth with a dental crown. We use this restoration at our practice to give you a stronger, healthier smile.
What Is A Dental Crown?
A crown is basically a tooth-shaped cap used to encase and restore the visible surface of a tooth. Crowns are not only used to repair weak, broken, decayed, or worn teeth, but to also alter the appearance of a misshapen or discolored tooth. There are several different materials that can be used to make a crown, including metal, gold alloys, zirconia, porcelain fused to metal, and ceramic.
How Is A Dental Crown Applied?
It normally takes two appointments for the application of a dental crown, unless an office has CAD/CAM technology available. The process of placing a dental crown usually goes like this:
- During the first appointment, we prepare your tooth to make space for the dental crown. This is done by injecting a local anesthetic to numb your mouth before we remove tooth tissues.
- We will then take an impression of your teeth and send it to a dental lab where the crown will be created.
- The process of crown creation usually takes a couple of weeks, so we will give you a temporary crown (made of plastic or stainless steel) to wear while you wait.
- For the second appointment, we begin by removing the temporary crown. The permanent one is then placed over the tooth using dental cement, which we harden with a curing light.
We may polish, glaze, and make other adjustments to the crown.