Dental Crowns: Types, Purpose, and Procedure

Your permanent teeth can become damaged due to diseases, defects, injuries, and accidents/injuries. The damage may be tooth loss, tooth decay, chipping of the teeth, etc. The effect of these damages on the face and dental health generally is negative. While injuries can reduce the efficiency of your teeth in carrying out their duties, it also causes them to lose their shape, color, length, and size, resulting in a substantial aesthetic decline. To restore the functionality and beauty of the teeth, one can opt for dental crowns in Smithtown, NY.

Dental crowns are custom-made tooth-shaped caps placed over the teeth to repair, restore and protect the teeth from further damage. When the teeth are damaged, mastication (tearing, biting, chewing, and grinding) of food for easy digestion might prove difficult. Damaged teeth also damage your smile due to the difference in size, shape, length, or color. However, getting dental crowns near you can help reverse the effects of the damage of dental diseases/infections, defects, and accidents/injuries, to the teeth.

Purposes Of Dental Crowns

The reasons why you might need to visit a dentist Smithtown, NY, for dental crowns include:

• Dental crowns are used to cover teeth that have been filled. When a tooth has an extensive filling with a bit of tooth left, a dental crown can cover it to change its appearance.
• They are used to protect weak teeth. Dental crowns can save teeth that have suffered from decay. Dentists also use them to hold parts of a cracked tooth together and prevent a tooth from breaking.
• Dental crowns work for cosmetic purposes. They can cover severely discolored or misshapen teeth.
• Dental crowns can support the teeth after major dental procedures. For example, they are used to hold a dental bridge in place or cover a dental implant.
• Dental crowns have several uses in children. They are used to save teeth that cannot support dental fillings and protect weak teeth from decay.

Types Of Dental Crowns

There are different types of dental crowns, and they can be classified according to the materials used in their production, their durability, and how many teeth they cover. Types of dental crowns based on production materials include:

• All-ceramic Or All – Porcelain Dental Crown: This is the most popular type of dental crown. It is made entirely of porcelain material, and it gives the best natural look. Also, it is non-toxic as it is free of metal; however, it might be expensive than other types of crowns and be less durable.

• Porcelain-fused-to-metal: This type of dental crown provides both strength and a natural look due to the combination of materials used in its production. While these are less costly than all-porcelain crowns, they may not give the 100% an aesthetic look that all-porcelain crowns give.

• Metal Crowns: Metals that can be used to produce dental crowns include gold, chromium, palladium, and nickel. This type of dental crown is very durable and hardly chips or breaks. However, it is not so aesthetically pleasing.

• All-resin: Crowns made out of resin materials are usually cheaper than other types of crowns. However, they do not last as long as other crowns.

Types of crowns based on durability include:

• Temporary Crown: This type of crown can be made in your dental office near smithtown from acrylic-based or stainless steel materials. As its name implies, it will serve you temporarily.

• Permanent Crown: Permanent crowns are typically made in a laboratory, and they last very long.

Types of crowns based on how many teeth they cover include:

• Traditional Crown: This type of crown covers the entire tooth because it has been severely damaged.

• Onlays And 3/4 Crown: This type of crown does not cover the entire tooth. It is used when you still have a solid tooth structure.

Dental Crown Procedure

Before getting dental crowns near you, you must first be declared eligible to receive them. After Dr. Joseph B Pantaleo, DDS ascertains your eligibility for dental crowns, the process begins. First, we will conduct a thorough examination of your teeth, during which an x-ray of your teeth and jawbones are taken. We might treat your teeth for decay, or you might undergo a root canal procedure if need be. Your tooth is then filed through the top and sides to reshape and make them fit.

Impressions of your shaped teeth are made and sent to a laboratory for the production of dental crowns. You might need dental fillings in case not much natural tooth is left after reshaping. When the dental crowns arrive, they are checked to make sure they fit perfectly. Local anesthesia is then applied, and the dental crowns are cemented into place.

Dental Crowns VS Bridges

While dental crowns and bridges are related dental procedures, dental bridges are strictly meant to replace one or more missing teeth. On the other hand, dental crowns can help restore, repair, and protect weak teeth and replace missing teeth. The best one for you depends on your needs, your dentist’s professional advice, and the cost implications.