Do you have a visibly chipped, cracked, worn-down, or broken tooth that’s making you feel self-conscious? If so, our team here at Magnolia Shores Family Dental can restore the health and beauty of your smile with dental crowns in Summerfield. Dr. Tristan J. Parry uses only the most lifelike materials to deliver unparalleled results. To learn more about how you can benefit from a custom-made dental crown, contact our office today!
A dental crown, sometimes also called a cap, is designed to snugly fit over a damaged or aesthetically flawed tooth to protect it from damage and preserve your jaw’s natural alignment, all while looking perfectly natural. This restorative treatment gets its name from the fact that it covers the entire visible portion of a tooth, which is called the tooth’s crown.
We can use various metals, porcelain fused to metal, or all-porcelain to make your crown. To keep your smile fully white, we recommend choosing the all-porcelain option. This material can match the exact size, shape, and color of your surrounding teeth while also restoring your biting power.
Using our precise color-matching system, we can find the perfect shade of porcelain to blend in with the rest of your smile. Porcelain is also durable enough to last for a decade or even longer. If you’ve been hiding your smile because of your noticeably imperfect tooth, dental crowns will let you smile with confidence again. Additionally, tooth decay and other damage can be painful, and a crown can protect your tooth from further damage for years to come.
Designing, fitting, and placing your crown usually only takes a couple of short appointments. First, Dr. Parry will prepare your tooth by shaving off a minimal amount of enamel. He’ll then take impressions of your mouth and send them to a high-tech dental lab. We’ll place a temporary crown while the lab is busy crafting your restoration to our exact specifications. After the final crown has arrived at our office, we’ll call you in for your second visit. Dr. Parry will make sure you’re happy with the results before permanently cementing the crown into place.
Once your dentist in Summerfield has placed your crown, you can care for it just like you would a natural tooth. Diligent brushing twice a day and daily flossing will prevent bacteria from growing around the base of your crown and infecting the underlying tooth. Also, be sure to see us at least twice a year for a routine checkup and cleaning. These regular appointments will protect you from needing more extensive and costly dental procedures in the future.
Have you been told that you’re in need of a new dental crown? You may still have some unanswered questions about the process, so we’re here to help. Here are the answers to some of the most common queries we receive about dental crowns in Summerfield. If you don’t see the information you’re looking for below, give us a call. Our team would be happy to explain more about the treatment so you can know what to expect.
Dental crowns aren’t permanent, but they are a long-term solution. On average, they can protect your tooth for anywhere between 5 and 15 years. When Dr. Parry reshapes your tooth for a crown, this procedure is irreversible, as tooth enamel does not grow back after it has been lost. Ultimately, that tooth will always need to be protected with a crown going forward. That being said, crowns protect the underlying tooth from additional damage, helping the tooth to survive for much longer than it likely would have otherwise.
It is impossible for crowns themselves to develop cavities. However, the underlying tooth still can. In fact, a crowned tooth has about the same risk of decay as an uncrowned tooth. Poor oral hygiene makes it possible for bacteria and plaque to form around the gumline where the tooth meets the crown. They can then travel underneath the crown and wreak havoc on the underlying tooth. You can prevent cavities in crowned teeth the same way you would in other teeth – with daily brushing and flossing as well as regular cleanings and checkups.
As with filling, Dr. Parry will numb the tooth he’ll be working on when you get a crown. While you shouldn’t feel any pain during the procedure itself, you may experience some sensitivity for a few days afterwards, especially if you have also undergone root canal therapy. This can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. If discomfort worsens, give us a call so we can help. Remember that crowns protect vulnerable teeth from damage, so it’s likely that they will prevent pain in the tooth later on.
Within a few days of receiving your permanent crown, it should start to feel increasingly natural. Crowns are made from durable materials that can stand up to everyday chewing forces just as easily as tooth enamel, so eating with a crown shouldn’t feel strange. The reason Dr. Parry reshapes the tooth first is to ensure that the crown fits comfortably in the mouth. Your crown should not feel awkward or even noticeable.