When Does Your Tooth Need a Dental Crown?

Often, dental issues might leave you with cavities that are too large to fill, or sometimes, the tooth is cracked, worn or weakened. In such cases, a dental crown may be a necessity. Sometimes, two or more dental crowns can be used on either side of missing teeth with artificial teeth attached to the crowns. This is called a Dental Bridge.
So what exactly is a dental crown?
A dental crown is like a “cap” for your tooth. This crown helps your tooth to be restored to its standard shape, size and function. A crown can help improve how the tooth looks.
When do you require a dental crown?
  1. When the tooth has been weakened due to decay
  2. Cracked tooth
  3. Worn-out tooth
  4. Discoloured tooth
  5. Misshaped tooth
  6. A tooth that has had Root canal treatment
What is it made of?
A dental crown can be made entirely from tooth-coloured ceramic, porcelain, or metal alloys. The type of crown depends on where it will be placed inside your mouth. At Expressions Dental, we offer various types of Dental Crowns in Calgary.
How is the crown placed?
First, the damaged tooth is assessed. Then the tooth is prepared to receive the crown by reshaping or removing a portion of the tooth. This reshaping is done to make sure there is sufficient space for the tooth to receive the dental crown. After this step, a temporary crown is placed until the permanent crown is manufactured. When the permanent crown is ready, the temporary crown is removed, and the permanent one is bonded or cemented to your tooth.
How to take care of dental crowns?
You can take care of your dental crowns just the way you take care of your natural teeth. Brushing twice a day and flossing regularly coupled with dental checkups can help you prolong the life of your crown. If you are looking for dental crowns in Calgary, Expressions Dental is happy to help. Call +1 (403) 252 7733 to consult our dentists.
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Do Dental Crowns Need Special Care?

Crowns are “caps” or coverings for the entire tooth.

When you go home, after your crown has been placed, you can treat your crown as though it were your natural tooth. Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices. Simply flossing and brushing with toothpaste will help to keep crowns clean and the gums around the crowns healthy, thus preventing gum disease. Your dentist will show you how to correctly floss around your new crown.  Antibacterial mouth rinse can also help. Also, you don’t need to worry about adhering to special diet restrictions, but you should be careful about chewing extremely sticky foods, such as caramels, which can accidentally dislodge your crown. Like your natural teeth, remember not to bite down on hard objects or use your teeth to open or cut things.

Get in touch with Expressions Dental to find out how we can restore your teeth with a dental crown.

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Types of Dental Crowns

There is a wide variety of materials from which dental crowns are made. Each of the type of dental crown has its own pros and cons.

Here’s the list of materials used for dental crowns:

  • Porcelain or ceramic – These crowns can give a great cosmetic result, by best reproducing the natural look of a tooth. There are many types of crown that fit into this category. In the back of the mouth where substantial chewing forces are routinely generated, placing an all-ceramic might not make the best choice due to strength. They are commonly used in for front teeth.
  • Porcelain fused to metal – Such crowns, also known as porcelain-bonded crowns, are very common. They combine the strength of a metal base with a cosmetic covering of tooth-colored porcelain. They have a proven track record of success. They can make a good choice for either front or back teeth. However, over time, the metal may show through at the gum-line (as a visible dark line). These crowns may therefore not be the ideal choice where aesthetics are of prime importance.
  • Metal – Usually made from gold or “white” (silver-colored) dental alloy. They’re known for their strength and durability. The precious alloys that are used to make gold dental crowns have a wear rate that’s similar to tooth enamel. That means the crown won’t create excessive wear on the teeth that oppose it (the teeth that it bites against).

If you are considering dental crowns for restorative or cosmetic dental purposes, it is best to discuss your options. We, at Expressions Dental will help you choose the dental crown material that best fits your needs.

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How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

The material crowns are made of can affect how long the crown lasts. Some dental crowns will be more durable than others, and whether you clench or grind your teeth can play a role in the life of your crown.

Taking care of a dental crown:

How long dental crowns will last depends on many other factors in addition to the material they are made of. Practicing good dental hygiene by brushing and flossing twice a day will increase the life of your crowns. You can also increase crown life by limiting consumption of hard or crunchy foods. If you tend to clench or grind your teeth, your crowns may not last longer. Habitual teeth-grinding is called bruxism, and many people do it while they’re sleeping and don’t even realize it. A dentist can determine if you are a nighttime grinder, and explain how that may affect your crowns.

Dental crown needs to be replaced, if it cracked or broken or in case of excessive wear.
If you have additional questions about dental crowns, or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Expressions Dental.

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