Dental Crowns in Durham and Ajax
What is a Dental Crown?
Crowns are synthetic caps, usually made of a material like porcelain, placed on the top of a tooth.
Crowns are typically used to restore a tooth's function and appearance following a restorative procedure such as a root canal. When decay in a tooth has become so advanced that large portions of the tooth must be removed, crowns are often used to restore the tooth.
Crowns are also used to attach bridges, cover implants, prevent a cracked tooth from becoming worse, or an existing filling is in jeopardy of becoming loose or dislocated. Crowns also serve an aesthetic use, and are applied when a discolored or stained tooth needs to be restored to its natural appearance.
Procedures
A tooth must usually be reduced in size to accommodate a crown. A cast is made of the existing tooth and an impression is made. The impression is sent to a special lab, which manufactures a custom-designed crown. In some cases, a temporary crown is applied until the permanent crown is ready. Permanent crowns are cemented in place.
Crowns are sometimes confused with veneers, but they are quite different. Veneers are typically applied only to relatively small areas.
Caring For Your Crowns
With proper care, a good quality crown could last up to eight years or longer. It is very important to floss in the area of the crown to avoid excess plaque or collection of debris around the restoration.
Certain behaviors such as jaw clenching or bruxism (teeth grinding) significantly shorten the life of a crown. Moreover, eating brittle foods, ice or hard candy can compromise the adhesion of the crown, or even damage the crown.
Contact Durham Dental Anesthesia, located in Ajax, to discuss the best dental crowns option for you!
Dental Crowns FAQs
A dental crown is a hollow, artificial tooth used to cover a damaged or decayed tooth. The crown restores the tooth and protects it from further damage.
If your tooth is damaged but not lost, a dental crown can restore its shape, appearance, and function. You may need a crown if you have a root canal, a large filling in a tooth or a cracked tooth.
A good candidate for a dental crown is someone with a weakened, cracked, heavily decayed tooth or a root canal.
Yes, both porcelain crowns and composite crowns look natural. Porcelain crowns are less prone to staining than composite crowns; however, composite won’t chip as easily.
Both dental crowns and fillings are used to restore teeth damaged by decay. Dental fillings are for minor cavities, small chips, or slight wear when the majority of the natural tooth is healthy. Dental crowns are needed when a cavity or crack damages more than half of the tooth structure.
A crown cannot replace a missing tooth, but instead can be used to restore its shape and appearance. A dental implant is ideal to replace a missing tooth.
Dental crowns are permanent. Crowns are strong and generally last for about 10 years or longer if you take good care of them. Brush and floss your crown, just like you clean your natural teeth.
Our dental team at Durham Dental Anesthesia will be happy to help you restore your smile with dental crowns. You can schedule a consultation online or call us at (905) 683-3300.