When teeth are damaged, heavily worn, or have suffered extreme decay, a restoration can give you a smile you can be proud of. An important treatment option used by cosmetic dentists to restore damaged teeth are dental crowns. They can give your teeth back their original shape, color, and overall look, restoring your appearance and your self confidence.
How Crowns Work
Crowns are usually used for heavily damaged teeth. This restorative procedure is most commonly used to treat:
• Cracked teeth
• Teeth with extreme decay
• Teeth that have been treated with a root canal
• Teeth used to anchor a replacement tooth
Before the crown can be put into place, the tooth must be restructured to accommodate it. Once the tooth is prepared, the cosmetic dentist will equip the tooth with a temporary crown. The permanent crown is custom-made to fit your mouth so that your bite will not be affected by the new tooth. [pullquote]An important treatment option used by cosmetic dentists to restore damaged teeth are dental crowns.[/pullquote]
The permanent crown is placed a few days later, after it has been produced in an off-site lab. The temporary crown is removed, and a custom-made crown is permanently affixed to your tooth with a special bonding agent.
Types of Restorative Crown
There are three main types of crowns, each made of different materials and each suited best for different locations in the mouth. The three main types of crown are:
• Metal
• Porcelain
• Porcelain-bonded metal
Metal crowns are typically made of gold. They are often used for molars because metal can withstand the intense stress and pressure produced by chewing. Porcelain-bonded metal is a metal crown covered with porcelain. These also work well for molars, but are also a good choice for front teeth because the porcelain provides a natural appearance.
Porcelain is often used for front teeth, providing a natural-looking restoration. Porcelain does not withstand chewing pressure as well as metal, so it is not always the best choice for a molar, especially if you tend to grind your teeth.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of crowns in tooth restoration treatment, contact the Toronto office of Dr. Nicholas Kemp at 416-922-1012 today to schedule an appointment.