When a dentist tells you that you may need a dental crown, it can be intimidating. Not only are dental crowns a very expensive procedure, but getting a crown also means your teeth are in need of extreme protection. There are three major reasons why a dentist would suggest a dental crown for their patient.
- Fractured Tooth
Unfortunately, when a tooth is extremely cracked or broken it does not have the ability to grow back and heal. Instead of trying to fill a crack or chip with a filling, dentists shave the tooth down and replace it with a dental crown to keep it protected from further breakage or infection.
- Large Cavities
Sometimes, if a cavity goes untreated for too long, it will grow and become extremely large. Unfortunately, fixing the cavity with a filling will not do the trick. The purpose of a filling is to expand into the crevices of a rotting tooth after cleaning to keep that area from bacteria again. If the infected area is large enough, too much filling is needed and it will expand the tooth to breaking point. Instead of taking this risk, dentists use dental crowns to protect the damage, for a long-term solution.
- Cavities on Crowns
It is possible that your dentist may tell you that your dental crowns need to be replaced much sooner than you expected. This is most likely due to a cavity that formed in the small area between the bottom of the crown and the tooth right above the gums. To avoid this, patients should pay close attention to the area around their crowns when brushing to make sure every small crevice is cleaned.
Dental crowns come in multiple materials and sizes depending on the severity of the tooth decay and the area of the mouth the tooth is located.
Metal Crowns
Usually made of gold, platinum, chromium or nickel alloys, metal crowns are the most durable and long-lasting. They are usually placed in the back because molars experience the most use by grinding the food to a small enough size to swallow, therefore molars need to stay strong to chew.
Ceramic or Porcelain Crowns
With a more natural look, ceramic or porcelain crowns are used for the more visible areas of the mouth. They are very strong and long-lasting like metal crowns, but unlike the unaesthetic look of the metal, these types of dental crowns actually match the color of the other teeth.
Resin Dental Crown
These attract a great amount of patients because they are the most aesthetically pleasing. Unfortunately, they are very prone to chipping and require frequent maintenance than the durable metals and ceramics.
Porcelain Fused to Metal
This type of dental crown provides the best of both worlds. Fusing the strength of the metal crowns with the aesthetics of ceramics, these dental crowns are very popular. Dentists use these crowns to help rebuild teeth and are used both in the front and the back due to their versatile use and look.
If you or someone you know is having chronic tooth pain, it may be a cavity and need a long-term solution that a dental crown can provide. Contact Greenspoint Dental in the Houston, Texas area to set up an appointment today.