Dental Crowns
Why Are Crowns Needed?
As teeth decay, break down, crack or have large fillings wear out, there comes a need for another type of restoration to restore the tooth back to its normal function. Weak, broken teeth not only cause an aesthetic concern, but they are not structurally sound enough to hold up for normal eating or biting purposes. The areas may be so broken down that a filling is simply too small and not adequate to repair the damaged portion of the tooth. Instead, a crown covers the entire portion of the tooth above the gumlines and can withstand normal functions.
What is a Crown?
A crown is made of porcelain, porcelain fused to metal or gold. Sometimes called “caps”, dental crowns cover the entire surface of the tooth above the gumlines when a tooth is too weak or decayed to be restored with smaller fillings. Crowns are also used following root canal therapy as part of the restoration process.
The porcelain of the crown is carefully matched to the shade of your other teeth so that it will blend in with your entire smile. Our cosmetic San Diego dental office uses one of the best dental laboratories in the area. This allows us to have a high quality of restorations such as crowns made for our best San Diego dentist office patients. Each crown is specifically crafted in shape and color to match your existing teeth.
The Treatment
Crown treatments typically take two visits. During your first appointment your tooth will be reshaped and prepared so that a permanent crown will fit it appropriately. Local anesthesia is used during this appointment in order to prevent any discomfort with the procedure. After the tooth is prepared an impression is taken and sent to our top quality dental laboratory. Here, your custom crown will be made so that it fits appropriately against all of the other teeth. In the meantime, you will have a temporary crown placed on the prepared tooth before the permanent crown is completed.
After about 2 or 3 weeks your permanent crown will be ready for placement on your tooth. This appointment will be fairly short as it is simply having the crown tried in and cemented onto the tooth. Adjustments may be made if needed so that you bite down comfortably with it.
