Is your tooth extremely discolored that you lost all your will to beam a beautiful smile? Do you feel like avoiding conversations to hide your discolored tooth? Do you want to feel better and find a solution to your discolored tooth? This could be a job for dental crowns.
But what are dental crowns, and how do they help restore your discolored tooth? Find out the answers below.
What are dental crowns?
Dental crowns are a fixed prosthetic device used to cover a damaged tooth. A crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” cemented onto your tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, as well as improve its appearance. As a cap, it fully encases the entire visible portion of a tooth for various reasons.
What are dental crowns used for?
A dental crown can be used to address the following issues:
- Restores a broken or worn-down tooth
- Protects a weak tooth from breaking
- Holds together parts of a cracked tooth
- Covers a tooth with a large filling
- Holds a dental bridge in place
- Covers a severely discolored or misshapen tooth
- Covers a dental implant
- Makes a cosmetic modification.
Types of dental crowns
Crowns can be made of various materials. This includes stainless steel, metals, porcelain, resin, or ceramic. Each material has its pros and cons according to the American Dental Association (ADA), so ask your dentist for a recommendation on the right type of crown for your tooth.
Procedure
Dental crown procedures involve preparing your tooth for a crown. The dentist will take X-rays to examine the roots of the tooth and its surrounding bones. A root canal treatment may be needed if the tooth is suffering from extensive decay or at risk of infection.
The dentist will then apply local anesthesia before filing down the tooth. Yes, your dentist will need to file down the tooth to make way for the crown. The amount he will remove from the tooth depends on the type of the crown he is placing. For a tooth that has a large area missing, the dentist will use filling material so it can support the crown.
Once the dentist reshaped the tooth, he will create impressions using a digital scanner. Unlike before, you don’t have to wait for several weeks to finish an impression. Thanks to the3D printing technology, dentistry procedures are now made simpler and easier. Your dentist can now create a model of the crown in less than 30 minutes.
After the crown is made, your dentist will permanently cement it in place. He will use a special adhesive to bond the crown to the tooth. It may take some time to get used to the permanent crown in your mouth.
Given enough time, the crown should look, feel, and work as a regular tooth. Now, you will have to say goodbye to your severely discolored tooth and say hello to a much improved pearly white chomper. With a dental crown, you can flash that smile more confidently and communicate better. Most importantly, you will feel better about yourself.
