At Ladner Village Dental, we sometimes use a crown to restore the appearance and functionality of a damaged tooth. That said, not all damaged teeth need a crown. Today, our Delta BC dentist offers insight on when a crown might be the best choice for you.
What are dental crowns?
While tooth-coloured porcelain crowns are the most popular, there are several types of this tooth replacement that encase the entire tooth surface, restoring it to its original size and shape. Also referred to as a cap, a porcelain crown is a highly durable dental restoration made to match the size, shape and colour of your teeth, leaving you with a natural-long-lasting and beautiful smile.
When is a dental crown the best option for me?
Our dentists might recommend a dental crown if you have one of the following:
- Large cavities that your dentist isn't able to fix with a dental filling
- Fractured filiings
- Dental bridge that needs support
- Dental implants that need to be covered with a tooth replacement
- Tooth that has had a root canal
- Misshapen teeth that require concealing
- Weakend or cracked teeth that need reinforcement
- Broken or decayed teeth that need to be restored
- Discoloured teeth that won't respond to teeth whitening
The Procedure
For a typical dental crown procedure, you'll need to come to our office twice. During your first visit, you'll receive a local anesthetic from your dentist. The damaged tooth will be filed down, leaving room for the crown to be placed on top. An impression will then be made and used to create your restoration, which will be custom-fitted to your tooth.
Until your permanent crown is ready, you'll have a temporary crown. The dentist will remove this temporary restoration, replacing it with your new permanent dental crown by cementing it into place.