Experiencing a cracked, worn or even decayed tooth may be part of getting older, but there are many dental procedures that can restore the natural beauty and strength of your teeth and alleviate the associated pain in just a few dental visits. Depending on the severity of the damage, your dental professional will recommend the appropriate procedure that should be utilized to correct the problem. Although an extraction may be required for teeth that have undergone a severe crack or extensive damage due to decay, in many cases a dental crown will be able to restore full function and brilliance to the affected tooth.
Dental Procedures For Dazzling Smile
A crown is often the right resolution for a tooth that is cracked, chipped or has been worn down and is no longer functioning properly and/or has become painful. By covering the original structure, the tooth’s health, shape and overall appearance can easily be restored. Permanent crowns can be made from stainless steel or other metals such as gold, resin, ceramic, porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal. There are benefits to each chosen material depending on the tooth’s position in the mouth.
Metal dental crowns are extremely durable and require less filing of the natural tooth, but are generally used for back molars because of their metallic color. Porcelain dental crowns provide a superior natural color match to any other material, but are slightly less durable than metal, making them a preferred choice for front teeth or any teeth in which you want to have the crown blend in seamlessly with surrounding teeth. Resin can also be easily matched to your natural tooth color, but the material is not very durable and is prone to cracks and wear. Resin is used most often when addressing cost issues.
Choosing the materials to be used is half the battle since the rest of the procedure is pretty straight forward. The entire process should be able to be completed in only two office visits. The first is to prepare the tooth, while the second is to place the permanent structure.
During your initial visit, your dentist will numb the area where work is to be performed. Next, the tooth’s exposed surfaces are filed down in order to make room to set the new structure. If too much of the natural tooth is missing due to chips or decay, the tooth will need to be built-up with the use of filling material. An impression is made of the remaining portion of the tooth, as well as the surrounding teeth, in order to make sure that the dental crown fits properly and that your bite is not adversely affected. Your dentist will then select the shade that most closely matches the color of the neighboring teeth (except where metal is used) before sending the impressions to the lab for manufacture. You will be provided with a temporary crown to cover and protect the prepared tooth while the permanent structure is being made.
During the second visit, your dentist will remove the temporary and cement the new permanent dental crown in place. Once the anesthetic wears off, you should experience little pain or sensitivity, but it can take a bit of time to get used to the new feel. If you experience pain or pressure against abutting teeth, or believe that the dental crown is loose, speak to your dentist. Adjustments can easily be made so that you can get back to enjoying life and showing off your new smile.
For more information about dental crowns, contact Park Dental Care in Queens at 718-274-1515.
