Dental Crown Overview

The crown is the portion of the tooth that shows when you smile. That is why it is so important to preserve. Whenever you chip a tooth it is important to ask your dentist about getting a dental crown in order to fix your smile. Otherwise you could have social anxiety as well as loss in job opportunities.

​The crown is an anatomical component of the mouth that is made up of enamel. This is a rock hard material that is crucial for aesthetics as well as nutritional value. This enamel is used to break down pieces of food for extraction along the gut. If your crown is not intact then you may be compromised from a nutritional standpoint.

​If your crown is compromised due to tooth decay, trauma, tooth infection or acid breakdown then you will need the placement of a dental crown in order to rectify the situation. Contact Triangle Dental Center today to learn more.

A dental crown is used to fix the loss of the exposed part of your tooth that participates in the smile and the nutritional breakdown of food. This dental crown is usually created out of a hard material that can completely simulate the lost crown of the tooth.  This material can vary depending on the dentist preference and what the patient wants. There are a couple types of dental crowns that you should know about in order to make sure you can go to your dentist as educated as possible.

​Gold Dental Crowns: These type of dental crowns are typically what you think of when you think of gold teeth. This class of dental crowns are an older form of dental crown but still a highly reliable form. They are especially good for molar teeth or the teeth in the back. These teeth are not necessarily visible in the smile and can definitely hide a gold dental crown behind your smile. The gold dental crown is advantageous due to the fact that it is a very stable dental crown and will hold its place in the mouth better than most other materials. This means that it falls out less and rarely breaks once inserted. Some people prefer gold dental crowns for this reason. They are especially useful for back teeth as they are sturdy and can replicate the function of breaking down food for nutritional value.

​Porcelain Dental Crowns: These dental crowns are more favorable for front teeth due to the fact that they can tooth colored and dyed using a dental coloring scheme to make sure the dental crown matches the teeth around it. This makes the porcelain dental crown the best looking dental crown for your mouth.  It is also a durable material and is useful for the break down of nutritional food. It permanence is just shy of the gold dental crown but it still does the job for a good amount of time.

​Porcelain/Gold Dental Crown: There is also a mixture of dental crowns that can have the benefits of both durability as well as aesthetics. If you get a hybrid dental crown then you could have the gold interior that fits over the pre-prepared tooth, and have the tooth colored dental crown you have always wanted.

What is a Dental Crown

In order to insert a dental crown the dentist must first prepare your tooth for fitting. The dentist will give you a lidocaine injection in order to make sure you are completely numb first. Then he will get his materials together in order to prepare your tooth. First he will use the drill to prepare your tooth for dental crown fitting. Using experience the dentist will plan out your dental crown visually. He will then drill down the remaining enamel on your tooth to make sure he can fit the dental crown onto your tooth.

​Afterwards the dentist will then take an impression of your tooth to make sure you have the most comfortable and fitting dental crown in your mouth. Once the dentist has the impression of your tooth he is then about to make the crown out of the prepared tooth. He will take the dental crown to the lab and measure the margins of the crown using the impression. He will give you a temporary dental crown in its place in order to make sure that the teeth around your mouth do not move while he prepares the permanent version of your tooth. Once the permanent dental crown is ready the dentist will remove your temporary dental crown and place your permanent dental crown. He will use a cement like material to make sure the dental crown does not move from the mouth.

​The dental crown can be maintained like a regular tooth. It can be brushed and flossed just like any other tooth. That is the main advantage to having the dental crown.

How is a crown made?