Introduction
When it comes to dental work, there is a bit of confusion between bridges, crowns, veneers, caps and all the other cosmetic alterations available for correcting the structure and look of a tooth. If you have been told you need a crown or are wondering if a crown is right for you, knowing the entire dental procedure for crowns and what it corrects is important.
Consultation
Your crown procedure will likely take two, possibly three visits. The first visit consist of the dentist making sure your tooth is structurally sound enough to hold a crown. If it is seriously damaged your dentist may recommend an implant or another option all together.
The Procedure
Once your dentist knows the tooth can support the crown they will gently file the tooth down. The extent of the filing will depend on the kind of crown you’re selecting. There are resin, ceramic and porcelain crowns, each of which come with benefits. Your dentist will be able to walk you through the right crown for your particular needs. The filing will be enough to allow the crown to fit overhead and look like a normal tooth.
Generally, you won’t feel a thing while the tooth is being filed down. However, if your gum line has receded there may be some sensitivity. Depending on the severity, you may receive local anesthesia, but it varies from patient to patient.
Once the tooth is filed down a mold will be taken of your tooth and then, while in the office, a temporary crown is made and placed over your tooth. You will then make a second appointment to come back and have the permanent crown replace the temporary crown. The temp crown will look good, but it won’t have the exact color as the rest of your teeth. The new tooth will be constructed to not only match the color of your current teeth but the same shape as well. This way nobody will tell the difference.
Conclusion
A dental crown is one of the best ways to correct a weak tooth, fix a discolored tooth or you simply want to improve upon your current cosmetic look. Whatever the reasoning, the general procedure for receiving a crown is straight forward. Now, you should be more than ready to know what will take place during your dental procedure, and if you should ask your dentist about whether a crown is right for you.
