How Dental Crowns Are Used
At the heart of New Hanover County dental care, crowns are versatile tools that restore and enhance your smile in many ways. For example, dentists use crowns to:
- Cover a decayed tooth: Restores the tooth’s function and appearance.
- Protect a tooth after a root canal: Provides support and strengthens the tooth.
- Restore strength to a weakened tooth: Reinforces and rebuilds damaged or compromised teeth. In some cases, inlays and onlays can treat teeth that are not extensively damaged but still need restoration. These custom restorations fit into grooves or cover larger portions of the tooth. As a result, they provide strength and a natural look without a full crown.
- Improve the appearance of a tooth: Enhances the look of discolored or misshapen teeth. Additionally, inlays and onlays offer a cosmetic option that blends seamlessly with your natural teeth, making them ideal for visible areas.
- Build up small or worn teeth: Improves size, shape, and overall balance.
- Support a dental bridge: Acts as a foundation to replace missing teeth.
- Sit atop a dental implant: Completes a long-term tooth replacement.
- Provide support as part of TMJ treatment: Helps align and restore proper bite function.
Before
After
Protection Against Decay and Weakness
Dental crowns, often called caps, act as protective covers that fit over your natural tooth. They create a strong, durable surface. Dentists use crowns when decay becomes too extensive for a filling or when bacteria damage a tooth and require a root canal. In addition, crowns restore strength to teeth that crack due to trauma or wear.
Making Teeth More Attractive
For naturally small or worn-down teeth, crowns build up the tooth and improve its appearance. They also correct unattractive shapes or discoloration that whitening alone cannot fix. While porcelain veneers are an option, crowns provide more structural support.
Replacing Lost Teeth
Dental crowns help replace missing teeth in several ways. They support dental bridges and attach to dental implants to serve as the visible replacement tooth.
Dental Bridges for Missing Teeth
If you are missing one or more teeth, a dental bridge can restore both function and appearance. A bridge uses crowns on the surrounding teeth to support a replacement tooth in the gap. As a result, it restores your ability to chew and speak clearly.
Additionally, dental bridges prevent nearby teeth from shifting out of place. This helps maintain proper alignment and reduces the risk of future dental problems. For patients who want a fixed solution without surgery, a dental bridge offers a reliable and natural-looking option.
Dental Implants and Crowns
Dental crowns also play an important role in dental implant treatment. A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth, while a custom crown completes the restoration above the gum line. Together, they create a stable and natural-looking replacement.
Unlike traditional options, dental implants help preserve bone structure and support long-term oral health. In addition, implant-supported crowns do not rely on neighboring teeth for support. This helps maintain the integrity of your natural smile.
Structural Support
For TMJ treatment, crowns can help restore proper bite alignment. This is especially helpful when teeth are too small to support a balanced jaw position. As a result, this approach helps improve function and reduce related symptoms.
Dental Crowns in a Day
In the past, getting a dental crown took weeks. During that time, you wore a temporary crown that often felt uncomfortable and could fail before your final crown was ready.
Now, thanks to our CEREC system, you can receive your crown in just one visit. We design your crown using advanced computer technology. Then, we mill it from a solid block of ceramic right in our office.
We custom-tint your crown to match your natural teeth. Finally, we cement it in place before you leave. As a result, you avoid temporary crowns and return visits while still receiving a precise, long-lasting restoration.
To learn more about dental crowns and the benefits of CEREC, call (910) 392-6060 to schedule your appointment with our New Hanover County dentist.
