Dental crowns or “caps” are tooth like restorations that are cemented right on top of a worn or damaged tooth. They may also be used in cosmetic cases where we are trying to improve upon the color of the teeth or change the overall shape. Here are a few ways dental crowns might be able to help your smile.
Repairs
When you break a tooth or get a deep cavity, a crown may be the only way to save it. The two-step process removes the damaged part of the tooth and provides you with a strong replacement. Although you can still get a cavity underneath a crown, the top portion will withstand quite a bit of wear and tear.
Anchors
Should one or multiple teeth need to be extracted, dental crowns can act as anchors for replacement teeth. Bridges are basically a series of crowns linked together to fill in the space where the tooth was lost. If an implant is used to replace a tooth, the crown will be the final finishing touch. Crowns can also be used to anchor partial dentures when several teeth in an arch are gone.
Lip Service
Believe it or not, sometimes we build crowns in the front teeth that give patients a better profile and lip support. Changing the direction, shape and thickness of crowns can make clients look years younger!
There are many types of materials used to make dental crowns. Porcelain crowns have improved in strength and durability incredibly in the last couple of decades and they are a fantastic way to address multiple problems. We sometimes use metal and/or gold as well but the main point is that crowns are one of the most common dental procedures we at D&G Dentistry offer and they are a great way to improve your smile.