Dental crowns are caps that cover or protect damaged teeth. They help restore the size, shape, and strength of your teeth. Crowns Sugar Land are made of various materials, including porcelain, metal, resin, zirconia, and gold. All-resin and all-porcelain crowns match the color of your teeth, giving you a more natural dental look and smile. Your dentist can recommend crowns to protect weak or extremely damaged teeth, restore broken teeth, cover teeth with large fillings, protect your teeth after root canal treatment, or cover a dental implant. Dental crowns can last many years if you take care of them.
What happens during crown placement?
Dental crowns often require two dental visits. In the first appointment, your dentist will examine and prepare the affected tooth for crown placement. The examination may involve visual observation and an X-ray. The dentist then files down and removes part of the outer layer of the damaged tooth. The provider will then take an impression of the trimmed tooth and surrounding teeth and send it to the lab to make your permanent crown. After making an impression, the provider will place a temporary crown over the trimmed tooth to protect it. It may take several weeks for your permanent crowns to be designed.
Your dentist will place the permanent crown during your second appointment. The dentist will remove the temporary crown and bond the permanent one with special cement. After the bonding material dries, the provider will polish your tooth and ensure it takes the best shape and the crown fits perfectly. Your dentist will guide you on how to take care of your crowns.
Sometimes, you may have same-day crowns that do not involve temporary ones. You get your permanent crowns within one visit. Your dentist uses digital scanning to take images of your mouth and creates your crowns while you wait in the office. Once your crowns are ready, the dentist cements them in place. The procedure lasts two to four hours.
What are the potential risks and complications of crown placement?
After crown placement, the treated tooth becomes sensitive to heat or cold. If the sensitivity is too high, the fit may be off. Your dentist can change the placement of your crown or fill down your crown to alleviate the sensitivity. Some patients may be allergic to metal-based crowns. If your crowns irritate your gums, consult your dentist immediately. Irritation can lead to gum diseases.
How long do crowns last?
Crowns usually last between five to fifteen years, depending on the material used and how you care for them. Crowns made from gold and porcelain-fused-to-metal caps tend to be the most durable. Resin crowns wear faster than the others. Factors that can help prolong the life of your crowns include brushing and flossing your teeth properly twice a day and avoiding hard foods. Also, avoid bad habits like grinding or clenching your teeth and using your teeth to open bottle caps.
Dental crowns help protect or cover damaged teeth. Depending on the material used, they can last five to fifteen years. Schedule an appointment at Advanced Dentistry for dental crown placement to restore your decayed teeth.