What are dental crowns?
Dental crowns are a type of restoration that protects the tooth. They usually require full tooth preparation in order to protect it. Crowns are the type of dental restorations that protect the whole tooth from damage. If the tooth has sustained damage or had some treatment such as a root canal, the crown is usually placed on the tooth. It resembles the size and shape of the regular tooth that it was before. It is something that the patient can use, function, and smile with.
What are the alternatives to dental crowns?
The alternative to dental crowns could be onlays or veneers, but it all depends on how much of the tooth structure is missing. Veneers usually cover half of the tooth. Onlays could cover three quarters of the tooth and the crown covers the whole tooth.
What types of dental crowns are there?
There are multiple types of dental crowns. They could be metal crowns with the porcelain veneer on top of them. There could be zirconium crowns. There could be porcelain crowns. All of them in the end resemble the actual tooth structure.
What different materials are used in dental crowns and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
After diagnosis, the doctor decides on the type of material. If it's a back tooth, we use a stronger material. It could be zirconium. It could be metal with a porcelain crown. In the front, they're more of an aesthetic nature and there's less force in there so we can use a more natural looking material. That could be a porcelain crown, could be porcelain, there is a disilicate, Emex.
Is a dental crown necessary after root canal treatment?
After root canal treatments, sometimes the crowns are indicated to protect the tooth. The sole purpose of the crown is to protect the tooth. It serves as a helmet. Sometimes we don't place the crowns if the tooth didn't sustain a lot of damage and most of the tooth structure is still there. We can get away without placing the crown or maybe some alternative material or product could be recommended such as the onlay which is a quarter of the crown. But to answer directly to this question, most of the time, yes, we place the crowns to avoid any damage in the future.
Can you explain the dental crown procedure?
The dental crown procedure is an easy process. It depends on what type of material and technology we're using. It could be a one day process where we prepare the tooth the same way as we prepare for the fillings. We scan the tooth and we have a computer machine that mills the crown in the office and cement it the same day. The patient can have this crown done in one visit. Sometimes it takes a couple of visits or maybe multiple visits depending on the amount of work that is required.
Does the dental crown placement hurt?
Most of the time when we deliver the crowns or when we're preparing the tooth, it's all done under local anesthesia. It's a very easy process to go through and patients are very compliant with this procedure and usually take it really well.
Are there any consequences for getting a tooth crown?
The consequences of getting a crown or not getting a crown is a very good question and again it depends on individual situations. By placing the crown when things are done properly, when everything is prepared and delivered properly by analyzing your patient's bite, the crown can serve you for a very long time and protect us. By not placing the crown on the tooth that's needed then you're in danger. Then there's a high chance of breaking it and there is a statistics that can back this up and the tooth becomes after the hopeless and we have to think of alternative treatments such as taking the tooth out, implants, but it's a completely different discussion.
If you have more questions I will be more than happy to answer them and you can call us at our phone number (484) 759-8498 at Great Smiles of New York. You can also request a visit where we can have a session and appointment together and I can go step by step to answer all your questions. Thank you for listening.