Everything That One Wants to Know About Dental Crowns
What are dental crowns?
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps used to restore decayed, broken, weak, or worn-down teeth. Dental crowns are also used by dentists as caps or covers for dental implants and root canal-treated teeth. Dental crowns Redwood City is made from a variety of materials like metal, porcelain, and even resin. Well-fitted and high-quality dental crowns can be expected to last between five to fifteen years with proper care.
How dental crowns are attached to a tooth to protect it.
The tooth is first reshaped before dental crowns are attached on top of a damaged or decayed tooth. It is then checked if it fits over an entire tooth snugly and securely. Additionally, depending on the wishes of the patient, dental crowns can be made of many different materials like resin, metal, and porcelain.
What would merit the need for dental crowns?
Dental crowns have several purposes to help and strengthen existing teeth. Dental crowns are used to:
- Protect, strengthen, and support a weak or cracked tooth.
- Restore a severely stained or discolored tooth, including worn-down or broken teeth.
- Hold dental bridges in place or over dental implants, and
- Cover, strengthen, and protect a tooth that has undergone a root canal procedure.
The general types of dental crowns.
With so many types of dental crowns, the specific kind that is right for a patient’s needs will depend on personal preferences or specific oral health needs.
- Metal dental crowns.
Metal dental crowns are available in a variety of metals like nickel and chromium including precious metals like gold and palladium. Metal dental crowns also only require a small amount of tooth enamel removal and are the strongest type of crowns and rarely chip or break.
Metal dental crowns can be long-lasting and highly wear-resistant to withstand heavy biting and chewing forces. However, the artificially metallic color of metal dental crowns is one of their main drawbacks and is ideal if they are used to cover out-of-sight molars.
- The PFM dental crowns.
The porcelain fused to metal (PFM) dental crowns combines the durability of metal and the natural look of porcelain making them easy to match to the color shade of a patient’s teeth.
However, despite their strength and natural look, the porcelain surface of PFM dental crowns can chip off over time which can expose its metal underneath. Additionally, PFM dental crowns can gradually wear down any remaining tooth enamel on any opposing teeth that touch the PFM dental crowns when chewing or closing the mouth.
- The pressed-ceramic dental crowns.
The pressed ceramic dental crowns have hard inner cores made out of ceramic materials instead of metal. It is one of the most natural-looking dental crowns crown translucency closely mimicking natural tooth enamel.
- The all-ceramic or porcelain dental crowns.
The all-ceramic or porcelain dental crowns closely follow the appearance of natural tooth enamel compared to other types of dental crowns. They are extremely durable and can withstand heavy chewing forces. Additionally, the all-ceramic or porcelain dental crowns are a good choice for patients who have allergies to metal materials and they are more gentle which results in less enamel wear on opposing natural teeth.
- The same-day dental crowns.
This type of dental crown is created by the dentist in their office using computer-aided design and manufacturing machines that mill a solid block of ceramic material to form dental crowns while their patients wait. The big advantage of same-day dental crowns is that patients can conveniently get a crown in just one office visit. However, they are not for everyone and will only be chosen depending on a patient’s specific dental health need.
- The all-resin dental crowns.
The all-resin dental crowns are, by far, generally less expensive compared to other types of dental crowns. The all-resin dental crowns are very fragile and can easily break with minimal pressure. However, the all-resin dental crowns are ideal for making temporary crowns and only tend to last three to five years on average if properly cared for.
Dental Crowns: Their benefits.
The main advantage provided by dental crowns is that they can extend the life of any remaining natural teeth. Dental crowns can:
- Treat and cover any worn, broken, or decayed teeth.
- Protect teeth from premature wear and tear.
- Improve the chewing function of teeth.
- Enhance a patient’s smile and appearance.
- Last between five to fifteen years with proper care.
A few disadvantages of dental crowns to consider.
For all the positive attributes of dental crowns, they still have a few drawbacks to consider. Drawbacks like:
- Dental crowns require the removal of some natural tooth enamel before they are placed.
- Possible teeth sensitivity after crown placement.
- Fragility over time and possibly breaking or fracturing.
- Can trap bacteria and lead to decay in the underlying tooth if without proper care or if they are fitted loosely.
- Although rare, the possibility of allergic reactions in some people.
- Can be expensive to install and maintain.
Length of recovery time after a dental crown procedure?
Generally, after undergoing a dental crown procedure patients can immediately perform routine activities following crown placement. However, some can experience a degree of sensitivity to their teeth a few weeks after the procedure, especially during rapid changes in air temperature.
Additionally, very mild soreness or tenderness in the gums around the treated tooth can be experienced by some patients after the procedure with the side effects going away within a few days or after taking over-the-counter pain relievers to ease any gum soreness and tenderness, tooth sensitivity, and discomfort.
Other factors are also considered important when choosing dental crowns.
The factors to consider when choosing dental crowns will be their cost, strength, and durability. While a natural-looking dental crown will always be a priority of patients their dentist will help them choose various options appropriate for their dental health needs.
When choosing the type of dental crown to use the dentist will consider factors like:
- The location of the patient’s tooth.
- How visible the tooth is when a patient smiles.
- The position of the patient’s gum tissue.
- The function of the tooth or teeth that require dental crowns.
- The remaining natural tooth where a dental crown is to be placed, and
- The overall color shade of the patient’s surrounding teeth.
Patients should feel free to discuss with their dentist their preferred dental crowns as they can help to figure out what best meets specific dental health needs.
Costs of dental crowns.
Dental crowns can vary widely in price depending on the type of material it is made of and the size to be used for a tooth. While gold or porcelain dental crowns can be expensive other all-metal dental crowns, which are generally made out of a metal alloy, can be cheaper and may be a realistic option for some patients.
Dental crown procedure costs may also add up if the dentist needs to perform more extensive prep work on a tooth before putting in the crown like if a patient requires a root canal or a dental implant before the placement of their dental crowns.
It is always important to talk to a dentist about the types of dental crowns that are appropriate for a patient’s specific dental needs.