What are Dental Crowns?
A dental crown is a cover placed over a damaged tooth to restore the size, shape and strength of a tooth.
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A crown is made of metal, porcelain, resin or ceramic. These tooth-shaped cover or cap restores the function & appearance of the tooth.
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Dental crowns are used to protect your teeth when dental fillings can't solve the problem. Dental crown is cemented to cover the visible part of the teeth.
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Types of Dental Crown
1. Ceramic Crowns
As ceramic crowns are made of porcelain, they can easily blend with your remaining natural teeth. They are mostly used to restore front teeth.
2. Porcelain fused to Metal
These crowns are most commonly used for restoration. They are durable as porcelain is supported by metal structure. Look & function wise they also blend well with your natural teeth.
3. Metal Crowns & Gold Alloys
These crowns are made of gold, copper, nickel, chromium & palladium. They are strong & fracture resistant.
4. All-Resin Crown
Resin is a thin and fragile material hence crowns made out of it are less expensive. They wear down easily with time & prone to fractures.
5. Zirconia
Due to their aesthetics & longevity, these crowns have become more popular. This material provide strength & are more durable compared to ceramic crowns.
When is Dental Crown Needed?
Dental crown is needed in the following situations:
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To replace the missing tooth.
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To protect a damaged & weak tooth from decay.
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To restore a broken tooth.
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To cover large cavities that can't be filled.
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To restore a tooth treated with root canal.
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Covers misshaped or dis-colored tooth & to improve smile.
Precautions with Dental Crowns
Do's with Dental Crowns
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Good Oral Hygiene: Brushing, flossing & rinsing should be done regularly to maintain good oral hygiene.
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Use of fluoride rinse can prevent additional tooth decay.
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Visit your dentist every 6 months to ensure the condition of crowns & your oral health.
Don'ts with Dental Crowns
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Hard Objects: Don't bite hard objects like nails or chewing pencils.
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Sticky Food: Avoid sticky foods like chewing gum.
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Avoid Pressure: Never use teeth as tools as the pressure applied by teeth can damage the crown.
Post - Treatment Care of Dental Crowns
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Dental bridges and crowns can last over a decade with proper oral hygiene & regular dental visits.
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Prefer to chew on the opposite side of the treatment to reduce the load on bridges.
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Be careful with cleaning and flossing as it can damage the bridge in its healing process.
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Smoking and alcoholic beverages should be avoided as they can disrupt the blood flow in gums leading to prolonged healing time.
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Regular cleaning of teeth is required as the tooth underneath the bridges may decay after the treatment.
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Food such as crunchy, sugary, hard, hot/cold food should be avoided as these might damage the tooth under the crown.