Dental Crowns – Backbone of Restorative Dentistry
Every Field has a product that becomes indispensible in modern line of treatment. Dentistry and majority of the treatment rely on the availability and efficiency of the crowns.
Crowns are artificial fixed cap for your tooth. As prosthetic Leg helps a person to walk a prosthetic cap or cover helps to return the perfection of your oral health. Crowns restore the function of the tooth. It protects and improves strength of a damaged tooth.
Bridges can be termed as collection of crowns connected together to fill the gap of missing teeth. Bridges are especially useful where individual crowns become impossible to fit in.
When do you need Crowns or Bridges for your teeth?
Crowns are useful not only for restorative dentistry but also for Cosmetic Dentistry. You may not realize you need crown until you get it checked with Dentist, but some of the following signs can help you understand if you need it.
- Cavity is too large for filling treatment to accomplish the task.
- A tooth is missing creating a gap in your teeth line.
- After completion of Dental Implants treatment to cover the root.
- Cracked tooth syndrome or otherwise weakened teeth require protection.
- After root canal treatment the restored root requires protection.
- A discoloured or disfigured tooth can be well hidden with a crown.
How a Crown or bridge is made and placed?
The procedure to make one is simple, but requires diligence to avoid errors and fault. Making and placing a crown efficiently in mouth requires complete study on location and size of the tooth. Patient does generally need two visits to complete the treatment considering the time required to make the crown.
The Treatment Protocol is as follows:
- Preparation of tooth: As Crowns or Bridges act as cover to the root of the teeth or existing teeth, the tooth has to be reduced to a size where a Crown can fit perfectly. It may also be accompanied with fitting of Implants or Root canal Procedure, if required.
- Impression of tooth: An impression of the teeth is taken, to provide blueprint to make the crown.
- Temporary crown: A temporary crown is placed on the prepared tooth to guard the shape of the prepared tooth and avoid discomfort as much as possible. Since Crown is not fitted perfectly, avoid sticky foods for time being.
- Making of Crown: The dentist or Lab technician uses the model to make the Crown or bridge.
- Emplacement: The crown or bridge is placed at the required position in the mouth. When dentist as well as patient is satisfied with the placement, look and comfort of the crown, it is cemented in place.
What Materials to use?
Success of crown depends on consideration of the material meticulously in view of tooth location, amount of teeth visible while smiling, Colour of the existing teeth, function of the tooth and, of course, patients’ preference.
Crowns can be made of variety of materials like Metal Alloys, Ceramics, Porcelain, Composite resin or combination of these materials. The crown Material is usually blended with the colour of other teeth.
On basis of material, they are divided into three main categories:
- All Metal Crowns: All metal crowns are strong and made from combination of few metal alloys together. Where they stand for their sturdiness, they lack in aesthetics and are not natural looking. Also, some metals may cause allergic reaction and swelling.
- Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns or Metal Ceramic Crowns: these crowns are metal crowns coated with porcelain to provide the natural look. In spite of being durable and better looking than all metal crown, the metal eventually causes grey line on the gums.
- All Ceramic Crowns: These are the most common and popularly used crown today. It is for the most important reason that the crowns look innate, giving your teeth line the all-natural look. Since it is biocompatible, it does not result in any side effect of swelling or allergic reaction. It is highly recommended by Dentists for its lasting ability, aesthetic and biocompatibility.
Why is Crown a Necessity?
Getting Crowns and Bridges in your teeth line is more than just an option to choose. There are repercussions for not letting your Dentist do it. Getting Crowns and Bridges to fill the missing teeth becomes important to maintain oral health and avoid disfiguration and shifting of the existing teeth towards the empty space. An imbalance is caused in the Teeth line due to absence of some which might lead to gum disease or Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Overview
Crowns are useful for variety of reasons in dentistry from improving the function of the teeth to increasing its beauty. Use of Crowns for tooth or Bridges in case of teeth has increased considerably with advancement of knowledge and awareness of oral health. The procedure for placement of crown is simple but requires utmost care to avoid further discomfort for the patient. Loosely fitted Crown or usage of Wrong material in view of its function would lead to failure and Fracture of the Crown.
To know more about Crowns and whether you are the right candidate consult your Dentist.
