Porcelain Crown

Porcelain Crown

Dental crowns are restorations that protect damaged, cracked or broken down teeth. A crown strengthens your existing damaged tooth so as to preserve its functionality. Dental crowns are also commonly known as caps because a crown sits over your existing tooth covering the entire outer surface.

When is a Crown needed?

• To strengthen a decayed, cracked or broken tooth.
• To protect a tooth that’s at risk for cracking. This measure helps to prevent problems such as pain and/or the need for a Root canal.
• To improve the appearance of the tooth.
• After a tooth has root canal therapy.

What is a crown made of?

Crowns can be made of a variety of different materials and new materials are continually being introduced. Some of the most popular options are listed below.
Porcelain bonded to precious metal or non-precious metal: this is what most crowns are made of. A metal base is made and then porcelain is applied in layers over it.

Porcelain crowns: these crowns are made entirely out of porcelain and are not as strong as bonded crowns, but they can look very natural and are most often used for front teeth.

All-ceramic crowns: this modern technique offers a metal-free alternative, which can give the strength of a bonded crown and the appearance of a porcelain crown. Therefore it is suitable for use in all areas of the mouth.

Porcelain and composite: porcelain and composite resin materials can sometimes look the most natural. However, these crowns are not as strong as bonded metal crowns.

Gold alloy crowns: gold is one of the oldest filling materials. Today it is used with other metal alloys to increase its strength, which makes it a very hardwearing restoration. These crowns are white or gold in colour.

What are the benefits of dental crowns and their procedure?

The achieved results of them are visually excellent and it is absolutely impossible to tell this life like dental crowns from real teeth.
As for the procedure patients need at least to visits. During the first visit the dentist prepares the tooth to the ideal shape for the crown, which involves removing of its outer surface, and leaving a strong inner core. Afterwards, the dentist will take an impression of the prepared tooth and of the tooth in the opposite jaw and sometimes another to mark the way you bite together. Then it is sent to the dental technician to create a custom made crown. A temporary crown is to be placed on the prepared tooth until the second visit.
During the second visit the dentist will fix the crown in its place with special dental cement or adhesive if she is pleased with the fit and appearance of it. This phase takes a bit longer than the first one. If the crown requires an adjustment, it will be also made during this second visit.
As for the warranty we can give you a 5-year guarantee for dental crown treatments.

How do I care for my crown or bridge?
While a crowned tooth does not require any special care, you should continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day - especially around the crown area where the gum meets the tooth.
Bridges are cemented in place, so they cannot be removed for cleaning. To keep the teeth healthy, the gap under a bridge must be cleaned daily using special dental floss - an ordinary toothbrush will not do the job. Your dentist will demonstrate how to use floss under your bridge.