Dental Crowns: Purpose, Procedure & Aftercare Tips

A dental crown may be needed for many reasons. Your teeth could be discolored, fractured, or have had a root canal, or a huge filling could be present. Other cosmetic considerations may demand the use of a crown as well. For a better understanding, our dentists at Centreville Family & Cosmetic Dentistry have outlined all of the steps involved in a dental crown operation in this blog.

What Are Dental Crowns?

Crowns are tooth coverings that cover fractured or diseased teeth. Crowns are used to protect, cover, and restore the contour of the teeth when fillings fail to correct the problem. Dental crowns are composed of metals, porcelain, resin, and ceramics. They normally don’t require any extra upkeep over time, except regular dental hygiene.

Purpose Of A Dental Crown

For the following reasons, your Centreville dentist may advise you to wear a dental crown.

• Protecting a weak tooth or protecting weak teeth if parts of it are shattered
• Fixing a tooth that has been severely damaged or worn down.
• To cover and support a tooth with very little enamel left, use a large filling.
• To hold it in position, a dental bridge is used.
• Teeth that are crooked or heavily discolored are covered.
• Securing the dental implant with a cover
• Covering a tooth that has undergone a root canal.

Steps Of A Dental Crown Procedure

This section goes over the steps involved in having a dental crown placed by your dentist in Centreville.

• You should first contact your Centreville dentist, who will examine your mouth and determine whether a dental crown is required. A review of your oral health record and any existing difficulties is usually included in the first visit.
• The process starts with the numbing of the damaged tooth. General or local anesthetic is used to numb the damaged tooth and its surrounding tissues.
• The dental lab will require exact duplicates of your maxillary and mandibular arches following the numbing procedure. This is necessary in order to create a dental crown that fits your teeth properly and makes you feel comfortable.
• This is one of the most important steps in the dental crown procedure. In appearance and function, the dental crown resembles a normal tooth, but it has a gap inside it, similar to a dental cap, and it must be placed over the wounded tooth. Hence, for the permanent dental crown to fit comfortably, the injured tooth must be appropriately molded and sculpted. This is why your dentist in Centreville will need to prepare your teeth prior to the surgery.
• A second impression is essential after tooth preparation since even the tiniest error in the dental crown can compromise the entire treatment. As a result, the simplest method for avoiding a poorly-fitting crown is to avoid any impression faults. To acquire a fully precise impression, the dental care professional may take many impressions. After that, the crown is created and placed in the mouth.

Tips To Take Care Of Your Dental Crown

• Chewing gum and caramel, for example, are sticky and chewy and can grasp and pull the crown off.
• Use the side of your mouth as little as possible when wearing the dental crown. Shift your eating to the opposite side of your mouth for the most part.
• Eating hard foods (such as fresh vegetables) should be minimized because they can cause the crown to dislodge or fracture.
• Glide instead of raising dental floss between your teeth to avoid pulling the crown off.

We hope this information helps you to make better decisions regarding your crowns. Book an appointment with us at Centreville Family & Cosmetic Dentistry for the best dental crowns in Centreville, VA.