Dental Crowns
Dental Cleaning
A crown is needed when the tooth just does not have enough healthy structure left to retain a filling. Such instances may arise if the tooth has a large decay, a large fracture, or if the tooth has had a root canal therapy. A full coverage restoration is vital in maintaining the tooth in functional form. Without a crown, teeth can become completely useless, and may end up needing an extraction. Designed to fit snugly and function as a healthy tooth, a crown will protect your tooth from further damage and preserve the jaw’s correct natural alignment.
Tooth Preparation
In order to place a crown on a tooth, a circumferential reduction is necessary. This is completed using a high speed hand piece, which will safely and efficiently remove the necessary tooth structures. After that, an impression is taken of the tooth, and the crown is cemented.
Crown Materials
There are many choices when choosing a material for the crown. Traditionally, there are all-metal, porcelain fused to crown (PFM) and porcelain. There are newer options available however. The new materials are known as zirconia and lithium disilicate. Compared to the traditional porcelain fused to metal crowns, these new materials are much stronger. They are also aesthetically much more superior as they do not contain any metal, which allows light to pass through and confer a more natural appearance.
The zirconia crown does not contain any metal, which gives it a much more aesthetically pleasing appearance.