Different Types of Crowns for Tooth Repair
When you have a chipped, cracked, or broken tooth, the damage can be repaired with a dental crown. If the damage is in one of your front teeth, your dentist may recommend tooth-colored porcelain or composite resin to restore or enhance the look of your smile.
Why choose tooth-colored crowns?
Tooth colored crowns have become increasingly popular, compared to the traditional metal fillings because they blend in with your natural teeth and make the restored tooth unnoticeable, giving you an even, white smile. In fact, porcelain reflects light just like natural teeth, which makes it hard to distinguish the restoration from tooth enamel.
Composite and porcelain materials provide a strong and durable restoration, and can be successfully used to treat various dental problems, including:
- Decay – that has affected more than half the tooth, such that a filling cannot be used
- To strengthen the tooth structure following root canal therapy
- Broken or fractured teeth
- To replace large fillings
- To fix chips and cracks
- To close small gaps between teeth
- To support dental bridges when replacing missing teeth
How the procedure is done
If the dental examination shows that you are a good candidate for dental crowns, the dentist will start the treatment by numbing the damaged tooth. Then, depending on the type of damage, any decay will be removed and the site thoroughly cleansed in preparation for placing the tooth-colored composite resin filling in the cavity. A small amount of tooth structure will also be removed while reshaping the tooth to ensure that the crown fits properly between the other teeth.
Next the dentist will take an impression of the tooth and send it to a dental lab where it will be used to fabricate your custom crown. You will have to bite down a mold filled with dental putty to create the impression. This process takes 2-3 weeks. To avoid sensitivity and prevent any damage to the prepped tooth, the dentist will place a temporary crown until the permanent crown is ready for placement on your second appointment.
Please contact your dentist in San Francisco, CA, to learn more about porcelain crowns and other dental restorative options that can work for you.
