A dental crown is a tooth-shaped “cap” that is placed over a tooth — to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance.

The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

A crown is a shaped shell that covers the tooth. Anacapa Dental Art Institute recommends crowns for the following reasons:

  • Preventing weakened or cracked teeth from breaking.
  • Repairing teeth that are broken or worn.
  • To make it possible for you to have a filling in a tooth where much of the tooth is decayed.
  • To provide a strong support for bridges that replace areas with missing teeth.
  • Cosmetic improvement of teeth that spoil your appearance.

Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?

A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:

  1. To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
  2. To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
  3. To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn’t a lot of tooth left
  4. To hold a dental bridge in place
  5. To cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth
  6. To cover a dental implant
  7. To make a cosmetic modification

Types of Crowns

#1 Stainless Steel Crowns

They are temporary crowns, Dentists use them to protect teeth while your crown in custom-made. Usually, its not necessary to crown milk teeth, but in the rare cases when it is, a temporary metal crown suffices. After all, the tooth will fall out before long.

#2 Metallic Crowns

They made from precious metals or other alloys are the strongest of all, but they do look rather obvious, so dentists will usually only recommend them for teeth that are ordinarily out of sight.

#3 Some Crowns Combine Metal and Porcelain

The metal provides strength while the porcelain imparts a natural look. Unfortunately, the porcelain can chip exposing the underlying metal, so dentists only recommend these when the strength of a metal crown is needed on a tooth that is also important to your smile.

#4 Resin Crowns or Acrylic Crowns

They aren’t very strong. However, since your crown must first be prepared in a specialized laboratory and your tooth needs protection in the interim, they’re often used as temporary crowns.

#5 All Porcelain Crowns

They look much more like natural teeth then any other type of crown. Some people are allergic to the metals used in crowns, so that’s another reason to choose this option.

What’s the Procedure for Getting a Crown?

The procedure for installing a dental crown normally takes two separate dentist visits. At your first appointment, your dentist will examine the tooth to make sure that it can support a crown, then begin filing it down to prepare for the crown. Alternatively, if the tooth is severely damaged or broken, your dentist may need to fill it in to make it large enough to properly receive the crown.

According to the Anacapa Dental Art Institute, after the tooth is filed or filled to the proper shape, your practitioner will take an impression of the tooth, as well as those surrounding it, and send it away to a dental lab, so the permanent crown can be made accordingly. By the end of this first visit, your tooth will have a new temporary crown that protects it until the final crown is ready to be permanently placed.

When the permanent crown is ready, you will have your second visit. At this appointment, the temporary crown is removed, after which the dentist will position and fasten the new crown to the tooth with a special adhesive.

Once your dental crown procedure is complete, it may take some getting used to before the permanent crown feels normal in your mouth; however, after a little time has passed, the crown should look, function, and feel like a regular tooth. If you have any questions about your crown after your procedure, be sure to talk to your Oxnard cosmetic dentist.

Taking Care of Your Crowns

Unfortunately, nothing is quite as good as an intact tooth. That’s why dentists stress the importance of keeping your own teeth healthy for as long as possible. Now that you have dental crowns, your teeth aren’t as good as they were before, even though they may look as good as new. That means limiting the amount of hard work they must do.

Hard foods can break proper teeth, so you can be sure that they also have the potential to break crowns. The same goes for sticky things like the toffees that are notorious culprits for pulling out fillings and crowns. When flossing, be careful not to pull the floss upwards and avoid picking your teeth.

With just a little extra caution, your crowns can last for many years, or even a lifetime.

Schedule Your Own Private Consultation with Dr. J

Anacapa Dental Art Institute is proud of their dedicated service to Ventura County. Lead by world-renowned top cosmetic prosthodontist Dr. Jivraj and his expert staff, Anacapa has the expertise and facility to handle whatever your cosmetic dental situation may be. Whether it’s a tooth whitening or a full mouth reconstruction, expect nothing but some of the best dental care Ventura County has available.

Call today for a private consultation. Renew your smile, renew your life.

ABOUT YOUR OXNARD, CA, COSMETIC DENTIST:

We look forward to providing families with exceptional care and advanced treatment options. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Jivraj contact our Oxnard, CA, dental office today by calling 805-800-8289. Our office at 2821 N Ventura Road, Building H, Oxnard, 93036 welcomes patients in and around Oxnard, CA, including Santa Barbara, Woodland Hills, Ventura, and the surrounding Southern California communities.

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