
Jan
Having a missing or broken tooth is not only dangerous for your oral health, but it also makes your smile look bad. Whether you need a tooth repaired or replaced, natural-looing dental crowns can repair your smile without anyone being able to guess you’ve had work done. Here’s how dental crowns work.
Dental crowns, also known as caps, cover or replace teeth that are missing, damaged, or misshaped. They are used in a wide variety of treatments, such as dental bridges and implants.
The crown is the top part of your tooth, which makes contact with food. Dental crown restorations are designed to perfectly mimic the shape and function of natural crowns, allowing you to chew and speak normally.
Dental crowns are generally made using materials like porcelain and ceramic. Porcelain crowns have several advantages, as they best mimic the look and feel of natural crowns.
While porcelain is often thought of as a fragile material when used in dolls and dinnerware, the type of porcelain used for dental crowns is far stronger and incredibly durable.
In fact, porcelain crowns can last from 5 to 15 years. However, with proper maintenance, there are cases where they have lasted up to 30 years.
Dental crowns can fix a wide variety of dental issues. Here are a few examples.
Crowns are often used to cover broken and cracked teeth, sometimes following major treatments such as root canals. Also, you could have old amalgam (metal) restorations that have been in the mouth for many years, causing multiple internal fractures. Crowns can protect the remaining natural tooth from further damage while allowing it to function normally.
Dental crowns are often used in restorations such as bridges and implants.
In bridges, crowns are used on either side of a pontic (false tooth) to cover natural teeth that are often misshaped or damaged. These caps also provide abutments (anchors) for the pontic, which replaces the missing tooth in between.
In implants, crowns are attached to a post that’s inserted directly into your jawbone. Implanted dental crowns are the most durable full-tooth restoration available.
Implanted teeth can withstand considerably more pressure than even our natural teeth, especially with the addition of a bone graft.
Crowns can also cover misshapen teeth to improve their look and function. They also provide more protection from cracking and chipping when compared to veneers.
You can extend the life of your dental crown by:
Visit Ocala Smiles to learn everything you need to know about natural-looking dental crowns. Dr. Robert Evelyn and his team are more than happy to answer all your questions. To schedule your appointment, call 352-867-7181. We’ve got the perfect fix for your smile right here!