Dental Crown

A dental crown can be best described as a ‘cap’ which is positioned over an existing tooth to improve its appearance or strengthen it. Once properly positioned, the dental crown is most often ‘cemented’ into place and will completely cover the area of the tooth which is above the gum line.

Materials of dental crown

• Porcelain fused to metal
• All porcelain
• All metal

Advantages of dental crown

• Strengthens and protects a weakened tooth.
• Restores a broken tooth but holding the cracked tooth together.
• Supports to a tooth which is severely worn down.
• Holds a dental bridge in position.
• Be considered for cosmetic reasons such as to cover a misshapen or severely discolored tooth.

Procedure of dental crown

• The first appointment consists of the dentist preparing the tooth for a crown, it is reduced so the crown can fit over it. An impression of teeth and gums is made and sent to the lab for the crown fabrication. A temporary crown is fitted over the tooth until the permanent crown is made.
• The second appointment, the dentist removes the temporary crown and cements the permanent crown onto the tooth. The total treatment time is usually 3 - 7 days depending on the materials of crown.

Care of dental crown
To prevent damaging or fracturing the crowns, avoid chewing hard foods, ice or other hard objects. You also want to avoid teeth grinding. Besides visiting your dentist and brushing twice a day, cleaning between your teeth is vital with crowns. Floss or interdental cleaners (specially shaped brushes and sticks) are important tools to remove plaque from the crown area where the gum meets the tooth. Plaque in that area can cause dental decay and gum disease.