Crowns are usually used in cases of chipped-off or weakened teeth due to a decomposed or overly large filling.
In particular, you would need a crown:
- If your tooth has undergone significant decay and there is not enough remained tooth structure to support a filling or an inlay, as well as to maintain functionality.
- If you have a dental implant, replacing a missing tooth, a crown should be fit to the abutment of the titanium or zirconium implant.
- If your tooth is fractured and it cannot be built up by using the composite bonding technique.
- After a root canal treatment, a crown is often necessary to strengthen the tooth.
- If you wish to improve the aesthetics of your smile, all-porcelain crowns are highly recommendable.
What are crowns made from?
Different materials are used in the crowns' composition. Yet, there are new materials being developed constantly. Some crowns are completely made from gold, and others are an alloy of metal fused to porcelain outer shell. Over time, in the case of crowns combining metal and porcelain, unaesthetic dark gum lines might start appearing.
However, all -porcelain (all-ceramic) and Zirconium crowns are the best choice. The biggest benefit of the Zirconium crowns is that they have proved to be as solid as the metal ones, but as their color is white they don't have the problem of leaving a dark line at the edge of the gums. This way your new crown looks like a natural tooth. Furthermore, the whiteness of the porcelain often allows us to place the edge of the crown above the gum line, ensuring better health to your teeth and gums.
What does the procedure of placing dental crowns involve?
After discussing your treatment options with the dentist, your tooth will be prepared for crowning. The first stage is to clean the tooth, remove any decay and reshape it using a dental drill while you are under local anesthesia. The dentist will shape the tooth so that the crown can go perfectly over it. It is good to know that if the tooth has no nerves, a local anesthesia is not required.
Once the tooth is prepared, an impression of your teeth will be taken using special dental silicon. The impression and the details regarding the patient's teeth color will then be sent to the dental technician. Before leaving the dental cabinet, a temporary crown will be placed to cover and protect your prepared tooth until your permanent crown gets ready. On your second visit, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and fix the permanent one. When you agree on the aesthetic and functional results of the restoration, the crown will be firmly cemented into place.
If the crowns are looked after well, they will survive for a number of years. Dental crowns require the same level of care and attention as your natural tooth.
Apart from all-porcelain crowns we also offer other successful technologies – metal-ceramic crowns and Captek-core crowns. In fact, the Captek-core crown suggests the most accurate technology of building a crown. Invented in USA, it relies on fusion of Gold and Platinum in constructing the core of the crown.
The process of building of metal-ceramic crowns
If a metal-ceramic crown is your choice, then you will need to visit our dentistry cabinet twice. The first time we prepare your tooth for the crown, take impression of it and place a temporary crown. Next time we replace the temporary crown with a designed for you one by fitting and cementing it.
The diagnostic process, or when you might need a crown:
- When there is more filling in your tooth than its structure, which weakens it up and makes it nonresistant to the biting forces. This causes filling loss or tooth chipping-off;
- Upon a cracked tooth syndrome, or in case of internal fracture – feeling pain in your tooth when under pressure. The most common reason for internal fracture are the big amalgam (silver) fillings;
- After a root canal therapy. The procedure leaves the teeth more fragile and prone to fracture.
Dental bridges
The dental bridge is made from an artificial tooth attached to two adjacent teeth. It is called bridge for it is anchored in place against two crowns. The artificial crowns are attached to two existing healthy teeth (in some cases, implants). The dental bridge has a positive effect on your facial shape, smile aesthetics and oral health altogether. On the one hand, the space formed out of the missing tooth exerts bigger pressure on the adjacent teeth and on the other hand, it affects your 'bite' as the teeth next to the gap tend to incline towards it, changing the way the lower and the upper teeth come together.
At the same time some food particles might wedge into the space, causing gum decomposition. Your speech may change. The dental bridge has a positive effect on your facial shape, smile aesthetics and oral health altogether.
Different materials can be used in the composition of a bridge. If it will be visible, you might prefer porcelain and metal or zirconium.
Fixed Bridge?
This restoration involves an artificial tooth fused between two porcelain crowns, anchored on the neighboring teeth (or implants). The artificial teeth are fixed and irremovable.
Resin-bonded Bridge.
The resin-bonded bridge is usually preferred when the space that needs to be filled in is located between front teeth or when the teeth on both sides of the missing tooth are strong, healthy and have no large fillings. The artificial tooth is plastic and is fused to metal bands, bonded to the adjacent teeth using hidden from view resin.
Cantilever Bridge
The restoration is applied when teeth are available only on the one side of the space. In this case, the artificial tooth is anchored to one or more adjacent teeth on the one side and is hanging.
The bridge placing procedure
The bridge placing procedure involves two visits. The first time, we will numb the area and prepare the teeth on both sides of the space, by trimming away a small area of the teeth structure. Then we will make an impression of your teeth, necessary for the design of the bridge and the crown in a laboratory. In order to protect your exposed teeth, we will fit a temporary bridge. To finish with the preparatory visit, we will determinate the right shade for your dental bridge, which will resemble the natural color variations of your teeth.
At your second visit you will have your custom-made bridge fitted. Then we will check how it fits and how it impacts your bite and we will adjust it accordingly. Note that to be prepared, dental bridges require healthy tooth tissue of the neighboring teeth.
Once fit, your dental bridge should feel comfortable and natural, but sometimes you might need a little time to get used to it. The longevity of the dental bridge could be over 15 years, provided that good dental hygiene is maintained. It requires cleaning twice a day just as your normal teeth do. This way your food debris will be removed and bacteria will be prevented from building up around it. There is no need to be anxious because you don't know how to clean and look after your dental bridge – we will be able to demonstrate it. We also recommend flossing.