Dental Crown Materials and Placement
Tigard, OR
 If you’re looking to restore or improve the shape, size, and strength of your tooth, then a dental crown is a great solution for you. Shaped like a tooth, the cap fits over your natural tooth to improve its functionality and appearance.
Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?
A dental crown keeps a weak tooth from breaking, keeps the pieces of a cracked tooth together, restores a broken tooth, and covers an out-of-shape or discolored tooth. Apart from these situations, some people also get crowns as a cosmetic procedure to enhance the appearance of their teeth.
Dental Crown Materials
The many different materials used to make permanent crowns are as follows:
Stainless Steel CrownsA stainless steel crown is a prefabricated crown that is temporarily placed on a tooth to protect it or its filling while a permanent crown is being made. Stainless steel crowns are generally used for children’s teeth as they are low maintenance and cost effective.
Metal CrownsDental crowns are often made of platinum, gold, nickel-chromium or cobalt-chromium. Either way, metal crowns are extremely durable as they can withstand any forces, such as biting and chewing. However, most people don’t prefer metal crowns because of their metallic color.
Porcelain-Fused-To-Metal CrownsUnlike metal crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are made to color match your teeth. Appearance-wise, after all-ceramic crowns, these crowns are the closest to natural teeth. However, the problem is that the porcelain portion of this crown can easily chip or break off. Also, it may also cause more wearing to the surrounding teeth.
All-Ceramic or All-Porcelain CrownsAs the name suggests, all-ceramic and all-porcelain crowns are purely made of ceramic and porcelain, respectively. Both of these crowns provide the best natural color match than any other crown material and are also more suitable for those with metal allergies.
Dental Crown Placement
A dental crown placement procedure is completed within two visits to the dentist. The first step involves the examination and preparation of a tooth, while the second visit involves the placement of the dental crown.
During your first visit, the dentist will prepare for the crown by taking a few x-rays to check your tooth roots and surrounding bone for any decay or infections. In case of any infection or injury, a root canal treatment will first be performed.
Before making the crown, your dentist will numb the tooth and gum area to reshape the tooth receiving the crown. Once the tooth has been reshaped, your dentist will then use a putty to take an impression of your tooth that is to receive the crown. These impressions will be sent to a dental lab where the crown will be made within two to three weeks. The dentist will also cover your damaged or decayed tooth with a temporary crown during your first visit.
At your second visit, the dentist will remove your temporary crown and replace it with a new crown that will be cemented in place.
Schedule a consultation with us at Tigard Family Dental to see if you’re a good candidate for a dental crown. Call us today at (971) 762-1262 to book an appointment.
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