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Restore Damaged & Decayed Teeth
A Pristine Solution to Tooth Loss
If you have a tooth that has been damaged by an oral injury or affected by extensive tooth decay in Forest Lake, Dr. Jonathan Siverson can restore your smile and your bite with a dental crown. Dental crowns allow you to prevent further damage to your tooth, and preserve the health and functionality of your mouth. Call our Forest Lake dentist today at (651) 464-8207 to schedule an appointment.
Understanding The Basics
Do I Need A Dental Crown?
Dental crowns are ideal for protecting and restoring damaged and decayed teeth because they are designed to cover up your entire remaining tooth structure, all the way down to the gum line. This helps protect your tooth, and also restore its natural function and appearance.
Dental crowns are typically recommended for cavities that are too large to repair with a dental filling, or for teeth that have been cracked or damaged due to an oral injury. They may also be used to cover up and protect a tooth that has been treated with root canal therapy. More rarely, they may be used for purely cosmetic dentistry purposes, as an alternative to treatments like veneers or dental bonding.
Common Materials Used For Dental Crowns
What Are Crowns Made Of?
Today, the majority of dental crowns are made out of porcelain, which can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Porcelain is very similar to your natural enamel in hardness, durability, and density. It’s also very strong and completely stain-resistant, ensuring long-lasting results.
Other dental offices may use metal amalgam crowns that are typically made out of gold, gold alloy, or stainless steel. They are durable, but do not look natural and may affect your smile’s appearance, so they are used much more rarely in dentistry today.
Dental resin is also sometimes used for crowns. Some types of resin are appropriate for permanent restorations, but it’s typically only used for temporary crowns, since it is much less durable than porcelain or metal.
What Can I Expect?
The Crown Placement Process
The process of having a crown placed usually takes two appointments at Forest Lake Smiles. During your first appointment, your tooth will be prepared for your crown. Dr. Siverson will begin by cleaning and numbing the treatment area. Next, he will use a dental drill to remove decayed and damaged enamel from your tooth. After this, he will take impressions and images of your teeth.
These impressions will be sent to our partner dental lab, where your crown will be built. This process may take 2-3 weeks, so Dr. Siverson will place a temporary crown on your tooth and send you home.
Once your permanent crown arrives at our office, you’ll come back for your follow-up appointment. Dr. Siverson will check your crown to make sure it fits perfectly. If everything looks good, he will bond it to your tooth permanently, and your new tooth will be cleaned, buffed and polished.
How Long Do
Dental Crowns Last?
Dental crowns last between 5-15 years depending on the type of material you choose, how you care for them, and your lifestyle. There are various types of dental crowns, such as porcelain, zirconia, metal, and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns just to name a few.
Metal-based and zirconia crowns are the most durable, offering the longest lifespan, and are therefore recommended for placement in the molars.
Porcelain and ceramic crowns are the most aesthetically appealing, as they blend in with your natural teeth and match your natural shade, but are more prone to breakage and do not last as long. This is why these crowns are reserved for the front teeth that are visible when you smile.
Location plays a role in the longevity of dental crowns. A porcelain crown that is placed in the front teeth will last much longer than if it is placed in a back tooth. This is because the front teeth aren’t used for chewing or grinding.
How Do I Care
For My Dental Crown?
To care for your dental crown, brush and floss your teeth like normal. That is, with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristle toothbrush. Don’t use hard-bristles which can damage your crowns (as well as your natural teeth).
Make sure you brush twice a day for at least two minutes. Floss between all of your teeth once a day and go to dental checkups and cleanings every 6 months. You should also wear a mouthguard if you grind your teeth or play contact sports.
Avoid very hard, sticky, or crunchy foods which can break or dislodge your crowns. Never chew on ice, fingernails, or other objects. This includes using your teeth to open packages.
Do crowns
weaken Teeth?
No, to the contrary! A dental crown offers protection, strength, and durability to a significantly weakened, damaged, or chipped tooth. Crowns are often placed over a tooth after dental trauma, placing a large filling, or after a root canal because this involves a lack of natural tooth structure which can lead to the tooth breaking apart from regular usage.
You may also want to use dental crowns to cover up aesthetic issues, hold a dental bridge in place, or attach to a dental implant. The crown will restore the appearance, function, and strength of your tooth.
When a patient has a large cavity and requires a very large filling, a dental crown will be recommended to be placed over the top because the tooth will be significantly weakened without it. Crowns work by holding the tooth together, reinforcing the tooth to protect it from wear and tear, and sealing out bacteria from the tooth.
Schedule an Appointment
for Dental Crowns Today!
If you’re interested in dental crowns, contact us at Forest Lake Smiles today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jonathan Siverson. Cover up aesthetic imperfections, protect vulnerable teeth, and regain your tooth structure with dental crowns today!
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