Porcelain Crowns
Perhaps you have a large cavity filling, a cracked tooth, or maybe a tooth that had a root canal. Maybe your tooth is discolored and you want to improve the appearance, but a veneer wasn’t the right choice for you. A crown may be the ideal functional and aesthetic treatment option.
WHAT ARE PORCELAIN CROWNS?
Advances in the strength and appearance of porcelain crowns have made them the leading choice in restoring damaged teeth to their former splendor. A tooth that has been damaged by root canal, grinding, decay or fracture is likely to break from the stress of daily use. But a crown strengthens your tooth by providing 360 degrees of coverage.
WHAT DOES A PORCELAIN CROWN DO?
Crowns are full-coverage restorations that are used to cover a tooth that is likely to break with a traditional filling. When you receive a crown, you will notice it effectively improves your tooth condition by:
- Helping strengthen a heavily-restored tooth to prevent future fracture
- Restoring loss of tooth structure from heavy grinding
- Improving tooth aesthetics
- Relieving pain from any damage or fractures
WHAT TO EXPECT
2 Appointments:
FIRST APPOINTMENT
At your first appointment, we will administer full local anesthesia for the tooth being treated. We will then prepare the tooth conservatively (1.5 to 2mm to be exact!) to create room for the crown. After careful assessment of the shape and contour, an impression of the affected tooth will be taken. This putty will allow the lab ceramist to create and calibrate a crown that looks and feels like your natural tooth.
A temporary crown is created, polished and cemented. During the next two weeks, you’ll want to avoid sticky foods near the treated tooth, so the temporary crown stays put. If the temporary crown dislodges, try to replace it as fast as possible, and come visit us at our office. The purpose of temporary crowns is to protect you from sensitivity, prevent other teeth from shifting, and keep the gums from rolling over the prepared margins of the tooth.
SECOND APPOINTMENT
During your second visit, the temporary crown will be removed and the final porcelain crown will be tried in and examined. An adhesive is then applied to the tooth and a cement will be luted or bonded onto the interior of the crown. Any excess cement will be removed. You’ll be provided with all the necessary instruction to take proper care of your new crown!