Tag: dental crowns litchfield

Crowns are one of the most popular restorative and cosmetic treatments in dentistry. They provide a strong and durable cap that holds together a tooth that has been severely damaged and weakened by trauma or decay, helping to save a tooth that may otherwise have been extracted. 

Other benefits of tooth crowns include:

1. Prevent Tooth Loss from Decay  

The crown protects the remaining natural tooth so you are not forced to extract it. Crowns can be used to save decayed teeth, where the cavity has formed on more than 50 percent of the tooth, such that a filling cannot be used. To save the tooth, the dentist needs to remove the decay, clean the site, and cement the custom crown in place, restoring the complete function of your mouth. 

2. Save Damaged Teeth 

Crowns are typically recommended for severe tooth damage, where other options are not sufficient to provide a strong restoration. Some of the common applications of crowns include:

• To strengthen the tooth structure following root canal therapy 
• To repair broken or fractured teeth 
• To replace large fillings 
• To fix chips and cracks 

3. Cosmetic Repairs 

If dental crowns are the only way to save your tooth, your dentist may recommend tooth-colored materials so the restored tooth is barely noticeable compared to adjacent teeth. In fact, tooth-colored materials reflect light just like natural teeth, which makes it hard to distinguish the restoration from tooth enamel. This allows you to both restore and improve your smile. 

If you have any questions or concerns about dental crowns, please visit your dentist today. 

Dental crowns are custom-made tooth restorations that are designed to cap the entire surface of a weakened tooth in order to strengthen it. Dental crowns are permanent. As such, they’re carefully designed using impressions of the damaged tooth to ensure that the size and shape of the crown matches that of the original natural tooth. You can even choose tooth-colored materials for fabrication of your custom crown so it blends in with the surrounding, natural teeth. 

The commonly used materials for tooth-colored crowns are porcelain and composite resin. However, you may also choose metal crowns made from gold, silver, or nickel/chromium alloys, or even choose a blend of porcelain and metal to take advantage of the properties of each material. During your visit, your dentist will help you determine the best choice of material depending on:

• The location and function of the tooth 
• The visibility of the tooth when smiling 
• The position of your gum line and gum tissue 
• The shades of surrounding teeth 
• Signs of teeth clenching and grinding 

The crown that you choose will be placed in a number of steps undertaken within two appointments:

Step 1: Tooth Preparation

On your first visit, the dentist will administer a local anaesthetic to numb your face and prevent you from feeling any pain when preparing your tooth. Tooth preparation involves the removal of any decay and infection on the site, after which the tooth is filed down to maximize the retention of the crown and to ensure a good fit that doesn’t distort your smile. 

Step 2: Making an Impression for the Dental Lab

After tooth preparation, a mold or impression of the tooth will be made and sent to the lab to fabricate your permanent custom crown. An impression of the opposing tooth may also be created to ensure a perfect fit with the mouth closed. Impressions are created using putty or paste that is spread over the prepared tooth and then pulled away so it keeps the shape of the tooth involved. The dentist can also note down specific details about the replacement tooth, such as the natural shade and fit, so its unnoticeable when you smile. 

Step 3: Fitting a Temporary Crown

To protect the prepared tooth, a temporary or transition crown will be placed on it. This crown is typically made from plastic material (acrylic), and is held in place using a temporary cementing medium to allow easy removal at your next visit. During this period, it’s important to maintain proper oral hygiene at home to prevent reinfection of the tooth or gum tissues, which may affect the overall success of your crown treatment. 

Step 4: Fitting the Permanent Crown

On your second scheduled visit, which should be in two to three weeks from the first visit, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and clean off the temporary cement from the prepared tooth. The permanent crown will then be fitted and adjusted for any bite variations. The dentist will check for accuracy and assess the aesthetics. If there are no issues, the crown can be cemented to your tooth. 

Caring for Your Dental Crowns 

Dental crowns should last a long time with proper care. Please discuss with your dentist about how to care for your teeth to protect the restoration and your other teeth from future damage.  

To ask about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today. 

In dentistry, a crown refers to the surface area of the portion of the tooth above the gum line that is covered by enamel. In the event that this layer gets damaged due to decay, chips, fractures, or deep stains, your dentist may recommend that you get an artificial dental crown to fix the problem. 

Crowns can be made from tooth-colored materials such as porcelain and composite resin, metals such as gold, silver, and nickel/chromium alloys, or a fusion of porcelain and metal to combine the benefits of each type of material. Your custom-made crown or cap will be permanently bonded to the damaged tooth in order to restore its natural shape, size, strength, function, and appearance (for tooth-colored crowns). 

But Should You Get a Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are used to either restore the function of a damaged tooth, or to improve its appearance. There are other treatments that can be used to address the same issues, so your preference may not necessarily be dental crowns. Moreover, if you’re not in pain from decay or tooth damage, you may not need to seek urgent treatment yet, provided the tooth is still functional. 

That said, there are several dental issues that may require treatment with dental crowns, including:

• A chipped, broken, or fractured tooth that is sensitive to hot and cold foods and drinks
• Weakened filling 
• Very large cavities 
• To strengthen and improve appearance of restored tooth after root canal therapy  
• To support bridgework – the artificial tooth is bonded to the adjacent teeth through dental crowns so it stays suspended in the gap
• To replace teeth with dental implants – a crown is connected to the post implanted in the jawbone via an abutment, becoming your replacement tooth
• To correct cosmetic dental issues such as excessively or unevenly worn down, badly shaped or misshapen teeth, severely stained teeth, and widely gapped teeth 
• To protect primary teeth (baby teeth) for children at high risk for tooth decay

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Depending on your specific case, your dentist will help you choose the most appropriate material for your custom dental crowns, restoring the function and appearance of your mouth. 

To learn more about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today.

Dental crowns can be fabricated from different materials that include porcelain, composite, porcelain-fused-to-metal, and different types of metals and alloys. Each type of crown has its unique pros and cons, so your dentist will help you choose the most appropriate one for your case depending on the strength requirements and aesthetic concerns of the tooth involved, as well as your personal preferences or allergic reactions to any of the materials. 

Crowns are fabricated in a dental lab, so you will need to visit the dentist at least twice: the first time is to prepare your teeth and take measurements that will be used to prepare the crown, which can then be fitted on your second visit. 

Here’s what to expect:

• On the first visit, your dentist will administer a local anaesthetic to numb your face for the duration of the procedure. 
• Tooth preparation depends on your specific case, and may involve the removal of any decay and infection and filing down the tooth to maximize the retention of the crown and to ensure a good fit that doesn’t distort your smile. 
• Next, a mold or impression of the tooth will be made and sent to the lab to fabricate your permanent custom crown. An impression of the opposing tooth may also be created to ensure a perfect fit with the mouth closed.
• To protect the prepared tooth, a temporary or transition crown will be placed on it. This crown is typically made from plastic material (acrylic), and is held in place using a temporary cementing medium to allow easy removal at your next visit. 
• After two to three weeks you will return for fitting of the permanent crown. The dentist will remove the temporary crown and clean the site. The permanent crown will then be fitted and adjusted for any bite variations. If there are no issues, the crown can be cemented to your tooth. 

Same-Day Crowns 

It is possible to get your permanent crown prepared and installed on the same day, as is the case for zirconia crowns. The tooth is prepared the normal way. But instead of making an impression of the tooth, the dentist uses a wand scanner to capture pictures of the teeth. The images are uploaded into a computer where CAD software (computer-aided design) is used to design a 3D model that can be used to fabricate a replacement ceramic crown in about 15 minutes. 

Restore Damaged Teeth Today 

If you have a severely weakened tooth due to fractures, decay, or any other kind of damage, please visit your dentist to discuss whether crowns are suitable to restore the integrity of the tooth. 

To ask about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today.

A crown is a cap that is bonded to a damaged or decayed tooth to restore its strength, function, and beauty. It can be fabricated from metals such as gold, silver, and alloys, as well as tooth-colored materials such as porcelain and composite. The most appropriate choice for your case depends on the location of the tooth in your mouth, as this determines how much strength it must be able to withstand, as well as its visibility when smiling in order to maintain a natural appearance. 

Your dentist may recommend dental crowns for:

Fractured Tooth 

A chipped, broken, or fractured tooth may not necessarily cause pain if the damage doesn’t reach the nerves in the tooth pulp. However, you may experience sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks, with the discomfort increasing as more damage occurs. In such a case, your dentist may recommend a dental crown to protect the tooth and prevent further damage. 

Weakened Filling 

Dental fillings are the most common restoration for cavities. But if the cavity is too large, it may result in a weak filling with no durability. In such a case, your dentist may recommend that you get a crown instead of fillings to repair the cavity. Crowns can also be used to replace previously placed fillings to strengthen the tooth. 

Infected Tooth 

When you have severe decay that has infected the tooth pulp (section inside the tooth that contains the nerves and blood vessels), it is possible to save the tooth through root canal therapy. However, the structure of the repaired tooth will have weakened considerably, affecting its normal function. As such, your dentist may recommend that you get a dental crown to encase the restored tooth to strengthen it. The crown also serves an aesthetic function as it covers up the filler material, giving your smile a natural appearance. 

Tooth Replacement

Dental crowns can be used to anchor the artificial tooth to strong natural teeth when replacing missing teeth with bridgework. If you opt for dental implants, a titanium post will be implanted into the jawbone to serve as the tooth root. Once it heals, a crown will be connected to the post via an abutment, becoming your replacement tooth. 

Cosmetic Reasons 

Dental crowns are custom-made to restore the shape, size, and even shade of a damaged tooth if you use a tooth-colored crown. As such, your dentist may recommend crowns to enhance the appearance of imperfect teeth such as:

• Excessively or unevenly worn down – resulting in very short teeth 
• Badly shaped teeth 
• Severely stained teeth 
• Widely gapped teeth 

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are an affordable and versatile dental treatment that can be used for repair or cosmetic dental applications.

To learn more about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today.