Dental crowns are caps placed over the teeth to restore their original size and shape, letting them function properly. Usually, porcelain crowns are used due to their strength and ability to be customized to match your remaining teeth’s color. A dental practice in Powell, TN, can determine if you can benefit from dental crowns.
When Do You Need a Dental Crown?
You may need a dental crown if you have a cracked, worn, or weakened tooth. Also, a dental crown can protect a tooth following a root canal procedure and restore a big cavity that a dental filling cannot handle. In addition, you may also get a dental crown to hide a badly shaped, discolored, or decayed tooth. The crown improves the look of a tooth and your overall smile.
Benefits of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns can be made of ceramic, composite, porcelain, and metal alloy fused to metal. They are designed to match your natural teeth color. Your dentist will determine the right material according to some factors, such as the position of your tooth, the affected tooth’s color, your preference, and gum tissue.
Dental crowns made of porcelain are preferred as they can be customized to look like your natural tooth. Also, porcelain restores the normal function of the tooth. But porcelain crowns do not heal quickly and are not as strong as tooth enamel. Thus, you must not consume hard foods after you get a porcelain crown to prevent damage.
How Long Do Porcelain Crowns Last
A dental crown can last up to fifteen years when properly maintained. If you take good care of your dental crown, it can even last up to thirty years. Porcelain crowns can endure 5-15 years of use. Some factors determine a crown’s lifespan, including your oral practices, the wear and tear the crown is subjected to, and the frequency of your dental checkups.
What to Expect When You Get Dental Crowns
Often, a dental crown is completed in two appointments. Your first appointment is meant to clean the affected tooth, so it will be ready for the crown. If the core of the tooth has decayed enough that it cannot support a dental crown, your dentist may use composite material to rebuild it.
Then, your dentist will take the imprints of the tooth to fabricate an accurate model. It takes around a couple of weeks to produce your crown. But some dental clinics with the necessary equipment can make the crow on the same day. Your dentist will place the crown over the affected tooth, make necessary changes, and cement the crown into place.
