What are the Benefits of Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns offer an ideal solution for protecting missing, weakened or fractured teeth. It’s a restorative procedure which involves fitting a tooth-shaped helmet over the damaged tooth. The cap is made of porcelain, ceramic, resin or other metals.
The shade is matched to your tooth colour depending on the material of the crown and is fabricated in a dental laboratory after taking your teeth impressions. A root canal may be needed when there is an infection, decay or tooth pulp injury. However, not all teeth requiring a crown will need to have a root canal treatment done first. If the nerve inside the tooth is healthy, the crown can be done without the need for any pulp treatment.
The procedure usually takes 2 visits to complete. The first visit involves treating the damaged tooth by removing the decay, measuring the tooth, and taking teeth impressions to ensure the dental crown fits correctly. A temporary crown is placed over the treated area until the crown is ready.
The crown will be placed and cemented during the second visit. The procedure time may vary for each patient depending on the extent of the tooth damage and weakening, dental condition and individual requirements.
When Do You Need Dental Crowns?
A dental crown is generally used when the tooth structure is weakened because of multiple dental procedures, large cavities or damage from an accident or trauma. It is recommended when more than 50% of the tooth is missing. This weakens the remaining tooth structure, leaving it vulnerable to breakage or brittleness.
A dental crown is also needed after a root canal to protect the existing tooth from infection and further decay. It’s important to note that dental crowns do not regenerate a tooth. They simply cover the tooth, protecting the remaining tooth structure with a permanent tooth-shaped crown, restoring appearance and shape and gripping everything together to strengthen and support the weakened tooth.
You can also get a dental crown for cosmetic reasons, such as restoring a broken, misshaped or discoloured tooth.
Are Dental Crowns a Good Idea?
Dental crowns are only recommended for weakened teeth prone to breakage. A healthy tooth or a small hole does not need a dental crown.
Dental crowns are permanent and fixed, allowing you the functionality of a natural tooth. They also improve oral health by reducing the risk of infection and decay because the tooth is protected with a dental crown.
Consult with your dentist to explore all the available options, and determine whether a dental crown is the most suitable for your case.
The Benefits of Using Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are a proven treatment for restoring and protecting damaged and broken teeth. They are usually recommended after a root canal treatment to cover the treated area and prevent infection and decay in the future. Dental crowns can also be used to support dental implant bridges.
They offer multiple benefits for patients suffering from the pain and discomfort of cracked teeth. Some of them include:
1. Strengthens Weakened Teeth
Trauma, tooth decay and large fillings can severely weaken the fracture toughness of your tooth. While you can’t grow back enamel, dental caps offer an effective way to protect a weakened or damaged tooth. They strengthen the tooth, protecting it from future breakage while preserving its shape and functionality.
Talk to your dentist about dental crowns, especially if there’s damage in the entire tooth or parts of your teeth if they’re weak, or unable to withstand regular activities like chewing or speaking.
2. Relieves Dental Pain and Discomfort
Broken teeth or cracked teeth, and excessively thinned enamels are major contributors to pain and high sensitivity in teeth. Dental crowns relieve toothache for people with cracked teeth because it holds the tooth together. It prevents plaque, tartar buildup and bacteria from forming in and around the exposed cracks, covering the broken tooth and protecting it from pain, infection and decay.
3. Improves Appearance
The primary application of dental crowns is the restoration and protection of injured, damaged, or weak teeth. They cover discolouration, fractures, and broken, misshapen or cracked teeth to restore your smile with a natural-looking crown made to match your tooth colour.
4. Durability
Dental crowns are lasting and durable and can last for 10 years or more with proper oral care and hygiene. If cemented correctly, they should not fall out as the crown is custom-made to fit your teeth structure and shape.
5. Feels and Functions like a Natural Tooth
Dental crowns fit naturally in your mouth, feeling and functioning like a normal tooth. They improve chewing ability, preventing food from getting stuck in broken teeth.
There are no dietary restrictions to follow, and you can resume eating normally a couple of hours after the procedure. It’s advisable to avoid hard, sticky, hot or chewy foods for at least a day or two to avoid breaking the crown cap.
Your dentist is the best person to educate you about the aftercare and precautions following a dental crown procedure.
Benefits of Dental Crowns: Final Thoughts
Dental caps have proven to be a fast, effective, and reliable way to protect, strengthen and support weakened teeth. . If you’re scared of your tooth breaking because of eating certain foods or how it might affect your dietary habits, you can talk to our friendly dentists at Whitehorse Dental for more information.
We offer a complete range of dental treatments to help improve your oral health and smile with preventive treatments and regular maintenance and checkups. Our caring dentists are always available to answer your questions and address your concerns with honesty and transparency.
Book an appointment today.
