What Is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a sort of “cap” dentists place over a weakened tooth. It protects, covers, and restores the treated area by covering it with durable, enamel-colored material.
Given its effects, the best candidates for a dental crown tend to have the following:
- A severely worn down or broken tooth
- Cavities that a filling can’t treat
- A tooth (or teeth) that just underwent a root canal
- Severely discolored or misshapen teeth
- A weak smile that needs extra support to prevent fracturing
Our office will first perform an oral exam to ensure a crown treatment is right for you. That way, we’ll have a sense of your unique dental situation.
The Dental Crown Process
In general, getting a dental crown takes a few visits. These are made up of three major steps: consultation, prep work, and the final placement.
At the consultation, you’ll discuss your treatment ideas with Dr. Castleberry. In particular, you’ll have a chance to bring up your smile goals, medical history, and procedure-related questions. Doing so will allow our team to see how best to meet your needs.
After the consult, our office will prep your tooth for its crown. This work involves removing bits of enamel, thus ensuring the prosthetic sits securely. We’ll then take a dental impression for a local lab, which will use that model to craft your final restoration. This crafting takes time, though, so you’ll wear a temporary crown for a while.
Once the permanent crown is done, you’ll return to our office for the placement. Then, we’ll polish the prosthetic and make final adjustments.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
If you don’t treat it, a damaged tooth will contract worse problems over time. Fortunately, a dental crown can stave off those issues and provide benefits like:
- A Great-Looking Smile: Our dental crowns use tooth-colored porcelain. As a result, they blend seamlessly with the rest of your smile.
- Tooth Protection: Since it covers a tooth’s damaged area, a crown protects your pearly white from harm. Consequently, it prevents possible infection and the need for a later root canal.
- Versatility: Crowns can treat all sorts of tooth damage – tooth decay, cavities, dental injury, and more.
- Long-Lasting Results: If you care for it by brushing and flossing, a dental crown can last 15 years or more.
The Castleberry Center Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
