Dental Crown: Keeping Teeth Cracks in Checkmate

Your dentist might recommend a dental crown or cap, for three, basic reasons: Your tooth has too much tooth decay for a dental filling to work properly; your tooth is cracked and falling apart; or your tooth is discolored or misshapen. Another reason for your dentist to employ dental crowns is to anchor a dental bridge in place - by crowning your abutment teeth.

Whether for rescuing or cosmetic reasons, tooth crowns provide solutions to the most basic oral problems and save your teeth from future damage.

A tooth crown may cost several hundred dollars and require two or three visits to the dentist, but they may be worth the time and money investment when you consider the possibility of losing a tooth altogether.  Missing teeth sometimes require a dental implant or bridge (which, as we mentioned, may need anchoring dental crowns anyway) to save you from shifting teeth. Your dentist can help determine your best options for saving your teeth and your budget.

If you don't fill the gap, shifting teeth could cause bite problems (or malocclusions) that lead to more damaged teeth, problems chewing and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ or TMD). So it may be best for a dentist to give you a royal dental crown treatment now to avoid uprisings in the future.

So what happens when you get a dental crown? Tooth crowns begin with a foundation, particularly if large parts of your tooth succumbed to decay or severe cracks. This foundation consists of a post and core. Your dentist files down part of the tooth to make room for the cap.  

The laboratory makes your caps from all metal, porcelain fused to metal (PFM) or ceramics. Metal or PFM crowns last the longest, and generally go on your back teeth to handle heavy duty chewing duties. Ceramic crowns match your tooth color.

Generally, tooth crowns last seven years or better - though some lucky crown wearers keep their originals for 40 years without problems. If you have upstart crowns though, you might discover some royal quirks:

Sensitivity - You might be sensitive to heat and cold in the initial days after your procedure. The sensations should be a temporary condition.

Pain - Call your dentist if it hurts to bite down. It usually means your dental crown is set too high and your dentist will have to re-seat the cap.

Lines - Dark marks by the gum line shows where the porcelain meets the metal on your PFMs. This is normal.

Irritation - Your dentist might prescribe fluoride treatments to ease your gums at first. Though a tooth crown stops decay, gum disease is a job for another agent. Practice good oral hygiene to stop gingivitis.

Chips - Porcelain and ceramics chip occasionally and your dentist can repair these right away. However, numerous chips undermine the overall structure. Eventually, you may need to replace the entire dental crown.

Washouts - Cement erosion could undermine the airtight qualities, letting bacteria back into your tooth. If tooth crowns feel loose when you chew, see your dentist.

Dethroning - Sometimes a dental crown falls out of place because of cement loss or improper fit. If your cap unseats itself, put it in a plastic bag and bring it back to the dentist for a re-fit.

If you must reapply it before you get dental help, wash the tooth crown out thoroughly and remove the excess cement with a toothpick. Use a denture adhesive for a temporary fit, and get to your dentist as soon as possible.

Take care of your undesirable dentition! If you have a cracked tooth, too much decay, a discolored tooth or chipped teeth, dental crowns may be the right option for you. All you need to do is plot the possibilities with your dentist.

Need a dentist to help you choose tooth crowns or other cosmetic and restorative dental options?

Call 1-866-970-0441. We'll find a great dentist near you to keep decay away and the cracking from completely crumbling.