Dental Crowns

Dental Crown Macquarie ParkWhat are dental crowns?

A dental brown is a cap that comes in a tooth shape to cover the tooth and restore the size, shape, strength, and also to have an improved appearance of the teeth. When they are cemented, it covers the entire visible part of the teeth from the gums upwards.

What are the uses of dental crowns?

Dental crowns are used for protecting a weak tooth from breakage. It is also used to hold together the parts of a cracked tooth. It is also possible to restore a tooth that has already been broken or is severely damaged. It is also used as a cover for a tooth with a large filling, a tooth that is misshaped or is discolored. It is also used to cover a dental implant and to keep in place a dental bridge. A dental crown also makes a great cosmetic modification for anyone who wants it.

For children, dental crowns can help a lot in saving a tooth from total decay. In the same way, it is also good protection for teeth that have high tendency of suffering from tooth decay. It also lessens the use of anesthesia for a child who may not be able to use it due to a lot of reasons such as age, behavior, or medical condition.

Macquarie Park Dentistry - Dental Crown

What are the different types of dental crowns?

There are stainless steel crowns which are prefabricated and used on permanent teeth as temporary device. There are also metal crowns that are best to protect against biting and chewing. They are also known to be the longest to use before it starts to wear down. You may also find the porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns. They can look more closely like the adjacent natural teeth, but they easily chip off or crack. They are great for front and back teeth.

The all-resin dental crowns are cheaper than the other types but they easily wear down, faster than the porcelain-fused-to-metal kind. It is more prone to fractures. The all-ceramic or all-porcelain is good for those who have allergies to metal. The downside is that they are not as strong as the porcelain-fused-to-metal as well.

You can also find digitally constructed dental crowns and these are called Zirconia or milled crown. They are produced with the use of software and hardware inside a dental lab.

What is the right way to take care of a temporary dental crown?

There are certain precautionary measures that have to be practiced to avoid damage on the temporary crown until the permanent one is done. It is better tom avoid foods that are sticky and chewy since it has the tendency to grab and also pull off the dental crown. Try to minimize the use of that side of the mouth where the crown is located. Also try to avoid hard-to-chew foods since it may dislodge or chip off the crown. When flossing, it is better to slide the floss than to lift it out since it may dislodge the crown.

Are there possible complications in using the dental crown?

You may feel some hot or cold sensitivity on the tooth that has been crowned just recently. Crowns may also fall off, may chip off, and may loosen off. It is also possible for you to develop an allergic reaction towards metal. You might also find a dark line underneath the crowned tooth which you may find next to the gum line.

How long would a dental crown normally last?

Often, it takes around 5 to 15 years for the crown to wear off. It all depends on your oral hygiene practices and also some mouth-related habits you have.