What is dental crown ?
A dental crown is a cover (cap), used as replacement for natural tooth. It is the ideal solution in situations where your natural tooth is so damaged that the filling is not enough to replace the lost part.
Crowns became so popular for their ability to restore the shape, size and functionality of the tooth.
It has high strength, can withstand high temperature changes, is resistant to chemical influences and corrosion. Additionally, it is biocompatible, so it does not cause allergies and aesthetically simulates the appearance of a real tooth.
Crown placement procedure
Crown placing is a two steps procedure.
- First step : Examining and preparing the tooth
The dentist will first make an x-ray to see if the tooth (root) is in good state. Otherwise you may need root therapy before anything. Also, the dentist will remove any decay in the tooth; before reshaping it by trimming the surface along the sides. The amount of trimming is defined depending on the crown to use.
In the opposite, if the tooth has large decay, and the remaining tooth part after the cleaning is not enough to support the crown, the dentist will use filling to rebuild the tooth. After preparing the tooth comes the molding. The dentist will use a paste to make an impression of the tooth to receive the crown, and the teeth above/below the tooth to make sure that the crown will not affect the bite.
The impressions are sent to dental lab to manufacture the crown. If the crown is made of porcelain then the dentist will chose a shade that closely matches the natural colour of your teeth. Meanwhile, the dentist will use temporary crown made of acrylic to protect the prepared teeth.
- Second step : Permanent crown placing
The permanent crown is usually received after one or two weeks. The dentist will remove the temporary crown and check the fit and the colour. If everything is good he will place the permanent crown with permanent cement.
The crowns are made from several materials such as metal alloys, ceramic, porcelain, porcelain fused to metals or composite resin. The dentist will select the material to use depending on tooth location and function, position of the gum tissue and your preference. In our clinic in Istanbul Turkey we use premium quality crowns for a longer life.
Care after receiving the permanent crown
Special care of the permanent crown helps prolong its life, so we recommend :
- Careful brushing twice a day.
- Flossing daily keeps all your teeth in good shape.
- Avoid chewy and hard food, that may cause your crown to crack. Especially porcelain.
- Use a night guard if you grind or clench at sleep to protect your crown and the other teeth.
Who can get permanent crown ?
You may need a crown if you have :
- A cavity that is too large for a filling.
- A tooth that is worn down or cracked.
- Had a root canal treatment (the crown will protect the restored tooth)
- Want to cover a discoloured or badly shaped teeth for a prettyer smile.
