Damaged, chipped or severely decayed tooth can wreak havoc with your self-esteem and make you conscious of your appearance. However, you do not have to hide in shame. A qualified cosmetic dentist can easily fix this problem using dental crowns and make your teeth look aesthetically pleasing once again.
What are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are like tiny caps for your damaged or broken teeth. The cap, made from a durable and strong material, encases the damaged tooth and protects it from further deterioration or decay. The cap looks and feels like a regular tooth and no one will know you have capped your tooth.
Usually, you need to consult a qualified cosmetic dentist to find out whether you are the right candidate for dental crowns. Once the dentist gives the go ahead, you can proceed with the fixing of the dental crown.
How are Dental Crowns Fixed?
Just like most other dental procedure, even the procedure to fix dental crowns begins with first taking an impression of your teeth. Based on this impression, the dental laboratory will make a customized crown that is as per your teeth size. This molded impression is sent to the dental laboratory and while your crown is being made, the dentist will initially fix a temporary crown over your damaged or chipped tooth. Usually, you would have to wait for 2 to 3 days before the laboratory sends your permanent crown and once it is received, it is fixed to your tooth using permanent dental cement.
If the cosmetic dentist uses CAD/CAM technology, he will be able to take a 3D image of your teeth and this allows the dentist to prepare the crown in-house. If this is the case, there is no waiting time to get the dental crown.
Types of Dental Crowns
There are different types of dental crowns, based on the material used to make the crown. The material also dictates the cost of the crown. You will have a choice between the following types of dental crown:
Porcelain fused with metal is the more common type of dental crown. This crown has a natural look and is often preferred by most patients.
All ceramic crowns are made from aluminum or zirconia. They look natural, but are prone to cracking.
Porcelain crowns also look natural, but are prone to cracking or chipping if you bite down on hard things, such as candies.
Gold crowns are made from gold and are extremely durable. However, they are not recommended for front teeth, as the person can look strange with a gold tooth.
Speak to your dentist to make an informed choice when selecting the type of dental crown.
Why Go in for a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns are extremely versatile and can help improve the functioning of your teeth if you suffer from gum disease, tooth decay, tooth injury or have too much wear and tear of teeth. They are also great for root canals that have failed.
When you have a dental crown, it will protect you from further bone and gum loss. In addition, it will also protect your affected tooth from further damage.
Dental technology allows you to match the color of the dental crown to your teeth, so that they become virtually identical.
However, dental crowns also have some disadvantages. Sometimes, a part of your tooth may have to be removed to accommodate a crown made from thick material. If you use metal fused crowns, there are chances of a dark line being seen at the point where the crown meets your gum. To overcome the disadvantages of dental crowns, people are opting for dental implants. Though expensive, implants looks and feel more natural than crown.
Now that you know everything about dental crowns, you can see that it is advantageous opting for one if you have a damaged or chipped tooth. The key is finding the right cosmetic dentist. So do your due diligence.
Acton Miller works along with a leading dental implant surgeon and is well aware of various dental procedures. If you are looking for a cosmetic dental treatment you may seek advice from Acton over email search@solutionsdentalimplants.com. Also, visit his website www.solutionsdentalimplants.com for details on various dental procedures.