Dental Crowns in White River, South Africa
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown, often called a dental cap, is a restoration that fits over a tooth to protect it, enhance its aesthetic (by fixing its shape and size), and add strength.
It’s a common way to restore teeth, and it works just as well on implants as it does on natural teeth. A dental crown covers the entire tooth to prevent additional decay or injury.
Cementing a dental crown over a tooth serves both a practical and aesthetic purpose. The crown’s thinner bottom half wraps around the tooth, while its thicker top half sits on the tooth. Crowns can make your teeth look better overall by closing gaps, protecting the weaker tooth structure below, and creating a uniform appearance for your smile.
We are among the best dental practices in South Africa. To get a price on dental crown treatment, kindle contact our office. We also offer dental implants, root canals and more.
Why You May Need Dental Crowns
One common reason people need dental crowns is to restore a tooth that has had more than half of its structure eaten away due to decay. Crowns are superior to dental fillings because they protect the tooth from further damage and provide a better seal.
Molars that have had root canal therapy often receive crowns as well. After having the nerve removed, teeth that have undergone root canal therapy require a stronger seal and a restoration that can withstand the intense biting pressures that occur during chewing.
Crowns are used to replace missing teeth to restore both the appearance and the functionality of a smile.
They are also incredibly helpful in hiding flaws like misaligned or discoloured teeth, resulting in a dazzling smile.
Covering dental implants with crowns allows them to look and function just like natural teeth. They’re also essential in attaching dental bridges for stability and comfort.
Types of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are very common, and as a result, dentists can choose from a wide range of materials, each with its own associated costs, processes, and patient requirements.
Most dental crowns fall into one of these categories:
- Crowns made of metal are not only beautiful, but also quite resilient. They can be fabricated from a variety of metal alloys, including stainless steel. However, their use has decreased in recent years due to the inability to match the shade of a patient’s real teeth. Metal crowns, however, are still sometimes used for molars because they are more likely to withstand the stress of biting and chewing.
- Crowns constructed completely of ceramic, often known as porcelain crowns, are the most common type of ceramic restoration. If you want your tooth restoration to look completely natural, consider getting a ceramic crown. Ceramic is the most lifelike material, making it a good choice for those with metal allergies. Ceramic crowns are impervious to extremes in temperature and can therefore help those who suffer from temperature sensitivity.
- Crowns made of porcelain fused to a metal base are both strong and beautiful, making them a popular choice for high-traffic areas of the mouth. The crowns will fit securely and remain in place for a long time thanks to the metal foundation.
- Crowns made of zirconium or resin are preferable to stainless steel crowns in light of their lower cost, reduced impact on tooth structure, and improved aesthetics. Paediatric dentists typically utilise stainless steel crowns since they are a short-term solution until the child’s permanent teeth fall out. Children who are at high risk for further dental decay, fractures, breaks, or chips can benefit greatly from these highly durable restorations.
- One of the most affordable types of dental crowns is the all-resin crown. They are fashioned from dental composite resin. All-resin crowns are more fragile than other crown types and may not be the ideal long-term solution, despite requiring less tooth preparation.
Post and Core Treatment
A dental crown can only be placed over a tooth if there is enough of the original tooth still intact to reach the pulp chamber. A strong foundation ensures the crown can withstand the pressures of future use (such as biting and chewing) without cracking or breaking. If there isn’t much of the original tooth left, the crown could break loose and fall off.
When a tooth is missing structure, the dentist will fill the area with a core material before cementing the crown. To ensure the best possible outcome for the new restoration, it is best to reconstruct the tooth with an artificial core to get it closer to its original proportions and create an optimal foundation.
Any form of dental restorative material is suitable for use as a core filling. The most often used restorative materials are composite resin, glass ionomer cement, and amalgam (a metal filling material).
It is possible to make a dental core for any tooth, but a post and core can only be placed in a tooth that has already received root canal therapy. This is because the post needs to go far into the tooth’s hollow root canal in order to obtain a good enough grip to keep the core in place. In cases when root canal treatment has already been completed, the post can be inserted without any delay. When this is not the case, however, root canal therapy must come first. A tooth that has received root canal treatment will always require a post to be implanted (never simply a core) in order to provide adequate support for a crown.
The Dental Crown Procedure
Our dentist will need to perform an examination and take x-rays of your teeth during a consultation to evaluate if dental crowns are a good option for you. Current oral health issues, such as the need for fillings or a deep cleaning, must be addressed before treatment can begin.
We’ll take high-resolution 3D scans of your teeth and utilise them to design a custom dental crown just for you. The CEREC machine will then form the crown that it is identical in size, colour, and shape to your original tooth.
With the use of this technology, we can mould a block of ceramic into a dental crown that will fit your tooth properly. The dentist will remove some enamel to make room for the crown, ensure a proper fit, and cement the crown to your tooth.
Dental crown surgery often requires only a short period of time for recovery. Patients may experience some sensitivity or discomfort at this time, but the inflammation and irritation from the procedure typically subside within a few days.
However, you still need to practise basic oral care to keep your restoration in good shape and to protect your teeth in the long run. You ought to clean your teeth twice a day with a soft bristled toothbrush and use floss once a day. We also suggest scheduling periodic exams to identify and address any issues as soon as they arise.
To protect the crown and prevent the need for a replacement, avoid eating items that are too hard, sticky, or chewy.
If you find that you frequently clench your jaw or grind your teeth, you should schedule an appointment with a dental professional at Transformational Dentistry.
