Tooth Restorations: The Benefits of Dental Crowns

Sometimes, a cavity is too large to be addressed by a filling alone, or a tooth has been significantly damaged due to injury. In these cases, dental crowns can help patients save their teeth and restore their smiles.
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that are placed on top of a natural tooth to repair damage and protect the tooth. Crowns may also be used to enhance a tooth’s appearance, in some situations, and they are placed on teeth that have been treated by root canals for additional protection, as that procedure leaves teeth prone to breakage.
Because dental crowns enable to patient to preserve a biological tooth, this treatment has benefits because a biological tooth is preferable to any type of tooth replacement, even a dental implant, in form and function. Additionally, dental crowns are made of materials that closely mimic the appearance of biological tooth enamel so they should not detract from your smile’s appearance either.
In the past, getting a dental crown required two visits to the dentist and either going without a crown or wearing a rather unreliable temporary restoration until the final crown was ready. However, a process known as CEREC, which stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, streamlines the process into a single appointment.
The dentist will gather the data needed to design the crown and prepare the tooth for crown placement. Then, a specialized software program uses the data to design the restoration, which is created by an in-house milling unit from a block of ceramic material. When the crown is ready, it is placed on the patient’s tooth. The entire process takes an hour or two, and the patient leaves the office with a complete smile.
Dental crowns can last for many years if you take good care of them. Make sure that you maintain a regular home oral hygiene routine and get professional exams and cleanings every six months, as well as following any specific instructions related to the care of the crown itself.
Dental crowns have significant benefits for patients in need of large tooth restorations. Contact our office and speak to one of our knowledgeable staff members to learn more about this treatment option.