Same-Day Crowns

Protect the Appearance and Functionality of Your Teeth

Do you have damaged teeth? If so, then you may be a good candidate for dental crowns in Deerwood, MN. Dental crowns are a common dental tool that can help patients who have misshapen, cracked, chipped, and otherwise damaged teeth.

Dental crowns are also used in root canals to protect the fragile enamel once the infected part of the tooth has been eliminated. If you’re a candidate for dental crowns, or if you would like dental crowns to restore the appearance and functionality of your teeth, here’s what you need to know.

What Are Dental Crowns?

Dental crowns are caps that are placed on top of your teeth to protect them from everyday wear and tear. Dental crowns look like your natural teeth, but they’re actually just a cover that can keep your teeth from becoming further weakened, cracked, or damaged. Crowns are used to restore the shape, strength, size, and appearance of the tooth after something has happened to it.

Once the dental crown is placed over the tooth, it’s cemented into place. The crown covers the entire visible portion of the tooth and is meant to be permanent.

Who Needs a Dental Crown?

There are many reasons that some patients end up needing dental crowns. For example:

Hold a dental bridge in place. A crown can cover a tooth and securely hold a bridge in place.
Protect a tooth that’s been weakened. If your tooth was weakened by a recent dental procedure or an injury, a crown can help hold your tooth together, without risking further damage.
Cover a dental implant. A dental implant needs a crown to give the implant the appearance of a tooth.
Restore a worn tooth. If your tooth was worn down, maybe after years of using a certain dental appliance or after years of grinding your teeth, a crown can protect your tooth from any more wear.
Protect a tooth that has a root canal. Placing a crown over the tooth is one of the last steps of getting a root canal. With the infection removed from the tooth, the remaining outer parts of the tooth need support.
Support a tooth that has a large filling. Once your tooth has had significant tooth decay, a crown can protect your tooth from further damage.
Cover a misshapen tooth. Does your tooth make you feel self-conscious because it doesn’t look like other teeth? A dental crown can fix that problem.

Dental Crown Materials

Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials including metal, resin, porcelain, and more. Your dentist will help you choose a dental crown that will meet your needs and your budget.

Metal. Gold has traditionally been used in dental crowns because gold can withstand the force that’s placed against the tooth. Gold is an expensive material and also doesn’t look like a natural tooth, so this material isn’t for everyone.
Resin. Resin crowns are more affordable but are not as sturdy as some other crown materials. Resin is more likely to break.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal. Porcelain fused to metal creates a crown that looks very much like a natural tooth, however, the metal beneath the porcelain can sometimes show through around the gum line.
Ceramic or porcelain. These dental crowns look the most natural but are not as strong as metal and porcelain combinations. Ceramic and porcelain crowns can easily wear down.

How Long Do Crowns Last?

Dental crowns last anywhere between 5 and 15 years, depending on the material the crown is made from and how well you care for the crown. Your dentist at River Oaks Dental will give you tips when the crown is installed, so you’ll know how to care for the crown.

Dental Crown Maintenance

Dental crowns need special care in order to protect the tooth underneath from problems like gum disease and tooth decay. Brush your teeth twice per day, floss once per day, and see your dentist every six months. It’s especially important to brush your crown well around the area near the gum line.

Dental Crown Installation Process

Before your dental crown can be installed, your tooth needs to be prepared for installation. Your dentist will start by examining your tooth and the bone around it.

If the tooth needs an infection removed, that will happen before the crown can be installed. The infection will be fully cleaned out, then the tooth will be filed down. This makes room for the crown. If your crown is made of all metal, then the tooth will need less filling than if the crown is made from metal fused to porcelain. Metal fused to porcelain creates a thicker crown that needs more space.

Once the tooth is prepared, an impression of the tooth is made. The impression creates a perfect replica of your tooth, so the laboratory will know what shape and size to make the crown. This ensures that the crown will look all-natural, and will not create problems for your bite or other teeth.

The laboratory will make the crown in a color specified by your dentist. Your dentist will match the color of the crown to your other teeth unless you’re getting a metal crown. This will help ensure that your crown will look natural in your mouth.

Once the laboratory makes the crown, it will be sent back to the dentist’s office in a matter of weeks. Your dentist will outfit your tooth with a temporary crown to protect the tooth while you’re waiting for your permanent crown to arrive. Once the permanent crown is in the dentist’s office, your dentist will fit the crown in place with cement.

The permanent crown will be put in place with a drug that numbs the area, so the procedure is comfortable.

What Causes Crowns to Fail Prematurely?

Dental crowns need to be treated with some special care to avoid damage that can cause the crown to fail prematurely. If you grind or clench your teeth at night, your dental professional will recommend that you wear a custom mouthguard. Wearing a mouth guard is important, so don’t forget.

Other habits that can cause your crown to become cracked or damaged include:

Chewing ice
Using your teeth as “scissors”
Using your teeth to tear open packaging
Biting your fingernails
Using your teeth to open up bottles

Think You Need Dental Crowns?

The dental professionals at River Oaks Dental can help you determine when it’s time to get a dental crown. Not everyone needs dental crowns. In some cases, dental veneers, tooth reshaping, and other cosmetic dentistry services are better for the patient. We can help you decide what services are most needed to make your teeth beautiful again. Call us today!

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