Damaged Tooth And Getting A Dental Crown? What This Is And How The Process Works

If you have a damaged tooth and your dentist told you that you need a dental crown, it can be helpful to know more about dental crowns, as well as how the treatment process works. This can ease your mind and stress knowing what is going to happen. Keep reading for more information about this. 

Dental Crown

Dental crowns are shaped like a cap that is placed over your damaged tooth. This restores the appearance, strength, size, and shape of the tooth. The dentist secures the dental crown to the tooth using a special type of cement. Once dried the dental crown is very difficult to remove so you do not have to worry about it falling off when eating, brushing your teeth, etc. 

Dental crowns are available in different types of materials. One common type is metal, which may be chromium, nickel, palladium, or gold. Metal is durable and strong and rarely breaks or chips even after wearing a crown for many years. The main drawback to metal is the crown will not match the color of your teeth. 

There are also porcelain dental crowns that can match the color of the tooth, so the crown is much less noticeable. Porcelain is not as durable as metal, however, and can crack or chip over time. A budget-friendly option is resin dental crowns. These do not cost as much as metal or porcelain, but they do wear down much faster. 

Dental Crown Treatment Process

The dentist files down the tooth on the sides and the top to make room for the dental crown. How much tooth the dentist files away will depend on the material you chose.  For example, metal is thinner than other materials, so the doctor does not have to file away as much tooth if you choose a metal crown. Once the tooth is the right shape, the dentist uses a putty or paste to make a mold of your teeth and then sends this to the lab. This will ensure the dental crown is the right size and shape.

The dentist will place a temporary crown over your tooth to wear while waiting on the lab to create your crown. You will have to be careful when eating and brushing your teeth as a temporary crown can come off. When the dental crown arrives, the dentist removes the temporary crown and places the new crown over your tooth. Once the crown is positioned correctly, the dentist uses cement to secure it. 

The dentist can give you much more information about dental crowns and how the treatment works.