The versatility of dental crowns allows patients to find solutions for functional and cosmetic dental woes.
Dental crowns are one of the most frequently performed forms of restorative dental care, second only to tooth-colored fillings. And though their commonality may not make them seem as exciting as advanced dental implants or customized porcelain veneers, dental crowns are actually a powerhouse of versatility.
The versatility of dental crowns lies in how they work.
Getting a modern dental crown is fairly simple, thanks to decades of advancements in crown material selection, tooth prep techniques, and overall design.
You can think of a dental crown as similar to a cap that is placed over your tooth. After any necessary pre-treatment is complete, your dentist will remove a layer of enamel to compensate for the thickness of the crown. From there you’ll have your permanent crown placed using specialized dental adhesives.
If you’re getting a porcelain crown, an impression or mold will be taken of your prepped tooth so a custom-fitting crown can be designed at a lab. You’ll wear a temporary crown while you wait for your permanent to arrive in a couple of weeks.
If you’re getting a same-day crown, you’ll stand-by and wait for your new crown to be milled right there during your appointment.
Since dental crowns completely cover a tooth, giving it a totally new appearance, you can imagine how useful they can be to solve a number of problems, from a badly decayed tooth to a tooth with an unsightly chip.
Here are 5 ways Dr. Harris uses porcelain and same-day dental crowns to help patients just like you.
1. Teeth with stubborn stains can be given a new, permanently whitened appearance.
Professional teeth whitening is usually highly effective, but in some cases, stains are just too stubborn to be removed with this method. Permanent discoloration, such as darkening from an old injury, are also unable to be lifted from surface whitening.
The solution? Cover the tooth with a beautiful, natural-looking dental crown! Both porcelain and same-day ceramic crowns are ideal for this purpose, with same-day crowns allowing you to walk out of our office with a shiny new tooth within a single appointment.
2. Crowning anchor teeth for a dental bridge reinforces your pontic and ensures a long lifespan.
Dental bridges are a great solution for missing teeth, but did you know they also rely on some help from dental crowns?
The teeth on each side of the gap will be the anchors holding your pontic (the bridge) stable. It’s important that these teeth are as strong as possible to ensure your dental bridge is functional and sturdy. Dr. Harris will place dental crowns on these anchor teeth to give them some extra help and protect them from damage or decay.
Dental crowns are also used in conjunction with dental implants, forming the beautiful new tooth that tops your implant post!
3. Chronically sensitive teeth with thin enamel can be protected with minimal invasiveness.
Enamel can thin for a number of reasons, but it usually results in a weakened tooth with sensitivity issues. The most common sensitivity symptoms are a brief but often sharp pain when the tooth is exposed to a hot or cold beverage or food item.
Since enamel loss is permanent, the only fix is to protect the tooth through proper dental hygiene, and if the sensitivity continues, a permanent solution like porcelain veneers or a dental crown.
For patients with a single sensitive tooth or a couple of teeth, using dental crowns is less invasive and may be preferred over porcelain veneers in some circumstances. Dr. Harris will help you find the right choice for you.
4. Gaps and misaligned teeth in your smile can be adjusted without orthodontic intervention.
Dental crowns can make it possible to skip orthodontics. Since the shape of dental crowns is completely customized, a skilled dentist like Dr. Harris can create crowns that eliminate gaps between teeth and even correct a crooked tooth.
For example, let’s say you love your smile but you have a gap between your front teeth that bothers you. Rather than having to completely shift your front teeth with braces, you can instead have crowns placed on the front teeth that will be shaped to eliminate this gap.
5. Damaged or weakened teeth can be restored to full function and beauty, saving them from extraction.
Although tooth loss is certainly not the end of a beautiful smile, the goal is to do whatever is possible to prevent it from happening in the first place. One of our favorite things about dental crowns is their ability to help patients save a tooth that would otherwise need to be pulled.
A common situation is a badly decayed tooth. After the decay is removed Dr. Harris may discover the remaining space is much too large for a filling to be placed. Rather than having to extract the tooth, Dr. Harris can instead place a dental crown as long as there is enough healthy tooth left to support it.
This same idea applies to a tooth that isn’t decayed but has been damaged, perhaps from an impact causing a break, crack, or surface chipping.
Discover how dental crowns can improve your smile with the help of the Harris Dental team.
Ready to learn more about dental crowns and how they could be a great choice for your unique smile? All you need to do is book a consultation with Dr. Harris.
During your consultation with Dr. Harris, your oral health will be thoroughly examined and you’ll have plenty of time to discuss what aspects of your smile you’d like changed. Dr. Harris will determine whether dental crowns are the right choice, and if so, he’ll design a treatment plan that aligns with your smile goals. And if Dr. Harris finds dental crowns aren’t the right choice, we’ll figure out an alternative plan that works even better.
Book your consultation now by calling our office or filling out this online appointment request form.
