A Beginner’s Guide to Dental Crowns and Bridges
A dental crown treatment may look daunting, but it is a simple process that can restore your smile and self-esteem. Whether such a process is meant to repair a damaged tooth or improve a smile, understanding the Dental crown procedure will help the patient be comfortable through every step. In this article, we get to walk through what to expect, the advantages, and the comparison of such treatments as dental veneers or dental crowns and bridges.
Step 1: Outpatient Assessment and Referral
The process of attaining a dental crown begins with a visit to the dentist or dental implant specialist Warriewood. In this initial consultation, dentists assess teeth, gums, and oral health to determine if dental crowns are suitable options for his/her patients.
You might need a crown if:
- The tooth is fractured, broken, or excessively worn.
- The patient has undergone root canal treatment and needs the protection of a treated tooth.
- The compromised structure of the tooth has occurred from extensive cavities.
Step 2: Preparing the Tooth
So, let’s say you’ve decided to go forward with dental crown treatment. Now, we move on to tooth preparation. Tooth preparation means reshaping the tooth to build space for the crown. Don’t worry; this will be done under local anesthesia.
If a tooth is badly broken down, the dentist will simply build it up with filling material before the crown shaping.
Step 3: Taking Impressions
As soon as your tooth is thoroughly prepared, the dentist takes impressions of the tooth. Other methods include using putty from one of those putty-like impression kits or advanced digital scanning technology.
Now, your dentist gives you the temporary crown while you wait for the permanent one to protect that tooth. Sometimes, a temporary crown can perform the same function as the permanent one but is not as strong, so avoid the sticky or hard stuff for now.
Step 4: The Choosing of Material
There are several different types of dental crowns, each suitable for different cases:
- Porcelain or ceramic crowns: These are usually chosen for the front teeth, and they need to match the natural colour of your teeth as closely as possible.
- Metal crowns are the strongest and are used nearly always on molars.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns: They can easily make the metal resistant, and the porcelain beauty mentioned above looks appealing.
Your dentist will advise you on what is best for you as much as it is informed by the condition at hand and your desires.
Step 5: Fitting the Permanent Crown
When your permanent crown is ready, it must be fixed in your mouth. Your dentist will remove the temporary crown, clean the ground well, and then fix the new crown, ensuring the fit and bite alignment is correct. Then, it will be adjusted as necessary before being permanently cemented in place.
Here is the magic! In fullness, your tooth is now completely restored in function and form.
Alternatives for Dental Crowns
If you’re looking for other options, here are some things that you can try:
- Dental veneers: Very suitable for a few improvements made for cosmetic changes in anterior teeth because veneers are fragile and are placed over the tooth.
- Dental crowns and bridges: Most people use these services in the case of multiple restorations and due to other teeth not being present in the tooth arch.
Consult a dental implant specialist Warriewood, for implants that are used for even more complicated cases and mimic the aesthetic and function of your natural tooth.
Enhancing Your Smile Further
This new crowned tooth is closer to a more radiant, healthy, and confident smile. To keep this at its best, do consider teeth whitening in United Dental Clinic. The removal of stains can improve your overall smile, which could mean that your dental crown could blend with your own perfectly.
Aftercare For Your Crown
To make your crown last:
- Practice good oral hygiene with daily brushing and flossing.
- Hard objects chewing like ice or pens should not be performed.
- Regularly visit your dentist for checkups.
With these measures, your crown may last between 10 and 15 years or longer.
Final Thoughts
A dental crown procedure is a straightforward and effective way to restore a tooth’s aesthetic and perceptive usefulness. Regardless of the type of damage to a tooth or whether the individual wants a better smile, dental crowns can be a good solution.
So, why not get a consultation with a trusted dental implant specialist in United Dental Clinic right now? Find out the options that will best fit your needs in a smile transformation!