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| Dental
Crowns |
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| Dental
crowns, also known as dental caps,
cover damaged or discoloured teeth.
Crowns cover the entire tooth,
starting at the gum line. They
are usually made of gold, porcelain,
or a combination of both. |
| Though crowns can
be used to improve the appearance
of a tooth, they are not primarily
cosmetic devices. Dentists recommend
crowns to protect or strengthen
weakened teeth, or to restore
a disfigured tooth to its original
shape. "Capping" a tooth requires
buffing away part of a tooth to
make room for the crown, so dentists
often discourage it as a cosmetic
method unless the teeth are damaged.
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| Crowns strengthen
teeth by binding the sides of
the weakened tooth together, much
the way a splint holds together
a broken bone. Large fillings
taking up over a third of the
tooth may weaken that tooth over
time; crowns are often used in
cases where such weakened teeth
threaten to break. |
| The "capping" procedure
takes place under anaesthetic.
Because the crown is about two
millimeters thick, the dentist
first shaves this same amount
off your existing tooth to avoid
awkward-looking, oversized teeth.
The dentist will also re-shape
your tooth into a form upon which
a cap can easily sit. He or she
will then make a replica of your
tooth. Usually, this replica will
be a putty mold. This mold is
then sent to a laboratory, where
the crown will be made based on
this mold. In the case of a porcelain
crown, the dentist will choose
a shade close to the colour of
the surrounding teeth. You will
return about two weeks later to
have the crown fitted and, once
both you and your dentist are
satisfied with the "look and feel"
of the crown, cemented over your
original tooth. |
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| Give
us a call to schedule your visit.
We look forward to meeting you.
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| (951)
278-4646 |
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