Dental crowns are a common and effective solution for restoring damaged teeth, enhancing their appearance, and ensuring long-term oral health. As part of our comprehensive cosmetic dental care, Family Dental Group offers a variety of dental crowns to meet your specific needs. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the different types of dental crowns, their unique benefits, and the procedures involved in getting them.
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns, also known as caps, are custom-made covers placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Crowns protect a weak tooth, restore a broken or severely worn tooth, cover and support a tooth with a large filling, hold a dental bridge in place, cover misshaped or severely discolored teeth, and cover a dental implant. You can look at this article for more information on what a dental crown looks like.
Types of Dental Crowns
Family Dental Group offers several types of dental crowns, each tailored to specific needs and preferences. Here are the main types of dental crowns we provide:
1. Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crowns
Benefits:
- Aesthetic Appeal: PFM crowns offer a natural tooth color, making them a popular choice for front and back teeth.
- Durability: The metal structure provides strong support, while the porcelain exterior offers a natural appearance.
Procedure:
- Preparation: The dentist will reshape your tooth to make room for the crown.
- Impression: An impression of your tooth is taken to create a custom crown.
- Temporary Crown: A temporary crown is placed to protect your tooth while the permanent one is being made.
- Placement: The PFM crown is cemented onto your tooth during a follow-up visit.
2. All-Ceramic or All-Porcelain Crowns
Benefits:
- Natural Appearance: These crowns provide the best color match for natural teeth and are ideal for people with metal allergies.
- Biocompatibility: All-ceramic crowns are more biocompatible, reducing the risk of adverse reactions.
Procedure:
- Tooth Preparation: The dentist shapes the tooth to fit the crown.
- Digital or Traditional Impressions: Impressions are taken to ensure a perfect fit.
- Temporary Crown: A temporary crown is placed while the permanent one is being crafted.
- Final Placement: The all-ceramic crown is bonded to your tooth.
3. Zirconia Crowns
Benefits:
- Strength and Durability: Zirconia crowns are incredibly strong, making them suitable for back teeth.
- Aesthetic Appeal: They offer a natural appearance similar to all-ceramic crowns.
- Biocompatibility: Zirconia is less likely to cause allergic reactions or discomfort.
Procedure:
- Tooth Preparation: The tooth is reshaped for the crown.
- Impression: A precise impression is taken for custom fabrication.
- Temporary Crown: A temporary crown is placed to protect your tooth.
- Permanent Crown: The zirconia crown is cemented onto your tooth.
4. Gold Crowns
Benefits:
- Durability: Gold crowns are highly durable and resistant to wear and corrosion.
- Biocompatibility: Gold is gentle on surrounding teeth and tissues.
- Longevity: These crowns can last many years with proper care.
Procedure:
- Tooth Preparation: The dentist reshapes the tooth for the crown.
- Impression: An impression is taken for accurate fabrication.
- Temporary Crown: A temporary crown is placed while the gold crown is made.
- Final Placement: The gold crown is cemented onto your tooth.
5. E-max Crowns
Benefits:
- Aesthetic Appeal: E-max crowns are highly translucent and offer a very natural appearance.
- Strength: They are made from lithium disilicate, which provides excellent strength and durability.
- Versatility: Suitable for both front and back teeth.
Procedure:
- Tooth Preparation: The tooth is reshaped to accommodate the crown.
- Digital Impressions: Digital scans are taken for precise crafting.
- Temporary Crown: A temporary crown is placed to protect the tooth.
- Permanent Placement: The E-max crown is bonded to the tooth.
The Dental Crown Procedure
Regardless of the type of dental crown you choose, the general procedure involves a few key steps:
- Consultation and Examination: Your dentist will examine your tooth and take X-rays to determine the need for a crown.
- Tooth Preparation: The damaged portion of the tooth is removed, and the tooth is reshaped to fit the crown.
- Impressions: Impressions of your tooth and surrounding teeth are taken to create a custom crown.
- Temporary Crown: A temporary crown is placed to protect your tooth while the permanent crown is being made.
- Permanent Crown Placement: Once the custom crown is ready, your dentist will check its fit and color before cementing it onto your tooth.
Caring for Your Dental Crowns
To ensure the longevity of your dental crowns, follow these care tips:
- Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: Brush and floss your teeth daily to prevent decay and gum disease.
- Avoid Hard Foods: Avoid chewing on hard foods like ice and hard candies to prevent damage to your crown.
- Regular Dental Visits: Visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and professional cleanings.
Emergency Same-Day Crowns
At Family Dental Group, we understand the importance of convenience and efficiency in dental care. That’s why we offer same-day dental crowns for our patients. Utilizing advanced CEREC technology, we can design, create, and place high-quality ceramic crowns in just one visit. This means no more waiting for weeks with a temporary crown, allowing you to restore your smile quickly and effectively with minimal disruption to your busy schedule. Experience the comfort and speed of same-day dental crowns at Family Dental Group.
Conclusion
Understanding the different types of dental crowns and their unique benefits can help you make an informed decision about your dental care. At Family Dental Group, we offer a variety of high-quality dental crowns tailored to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for the durability of gold, the natural appearance of all-ceramic, or the strength of zirconia, our experienced dentists are here to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile.
If you have any questions about the types of dental crowns or would like to schedule a consultation, contact Family Dental Group today. Let us help you restore your smile and confidence with our expert dental care services.