A dental crown, or a tooth crown, is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over and adhered to a damaged tooth. The crown will help strengthen and protect the tooth and will restore its appearance.
Reasons for Dental Crowns
Dental crowns in Wichita, at Smiles By Design, may be necessary for a variety of reasons. One reason a person may need a crown is if they have a chipped, broken, or severely worn tooth.
A person may also need a tooth crown if they have a root canal. During a root canal, the dentist will remove the pulp of the tooth and seals the space. They will shape the tooth to fit a crown and place a temporary crown on the tooth while the permanent crown is made. Once the permanent tooth crown is made, the dentist will adhere the crown to the tooth. Not all root canals require a crown, but your dentist may recommend it if the tooth has been damaged or majorly discolored by decay.
A crown may also be used to hold a dental bridge in place. Bridges are made of two or more crowns that are connected to fill the space in between teeth.
Crowns can also cover teeth that have large fillings with not much of the tooth remaining. In these cases, the crowns help to protect the tooth to prevent further damage.
Types of Materials for Crowns
Dental crowns can be made of several strong substances including metal, porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, and ceramic.
Porcelain crowns are popular because they can be made to match the color of the existing teeth to keep a more natural appearance. Metal crowns rarely crack or break and may be best for back molars.
Porcelain fused to metal is another sturdy type of crown that offers the stability of the metal and the natural appearance of porcelain.
Ceramic crowns can be good for front teeth, as they aren’t quite as strong as porcelain fused to metal and are best on teeth requiring less biting force. Ceramic crowns can include pressed ceramic which has a hard inner core and is capped with porcelain.
Dr. Barker Can Help
You can get dental crowns in Wichita at Smiles by Design, and Dr. Kristyn Barker. Our restorative dentistry process with tooth crowns may include a temporary crown, then the placement of a more permanent crown. Talk to Dr. Barker about which crown material is best for your situation. Contact us today to get on our schedule.
