Category: Dental Crowns

A crown is a cap that is bonded to a damaged or decayed tooth to restore its strength, function, and beauty. It can be fabricated from metals such as gold, silver, and alloys, as well as tooth-colored materials such as porcelain and composite. The most appropriate choice for your case depends on the location of the tooth in your mouth, as this determines how much strength it must be able to withstand, as well as its visibility when smiling in order to maintain a natural appearance. 

Your dentist may recommend dental crowns for:

Fractured Tooth 

A chipped, broken, or fractured tooth may not necessarily cause pain if the damage doesn’t reach the nerves in the tooth pulp. However, you may experience sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks, with the discomfort increasing as more damage occurs. In such a case, your dentist may recommend a dental crown to protect the tooth and prevent further damage. 

Weakened Filling 

Dental fillings are the most common restoration for cavities. But if the cavity is too large, it may result in a weak filling with no durability. In such a case, your dentist may recommend that you get a crown instead of fillings to repair the cavity. Crowns can also be used to replace previously placed fillings to strengthen the tooth. 

Infected Tooth 

When you have severe decay that has infected the tooth pulp (section inside the tooth that contains the nerves and blood vessels), it is possible to save the tooth through root canal therapy. However, the structure of the repaired tooth will have weakened considerably, affecting its normal function. As such, your dentist may recommend that you get a dental crown to encase the restored tooth to strengthen it. The crown also serves an aesthetic function as it covers up the filler material, giving your smile a natural appearance. 

Tooth Replacement

Dental crowns can be used to anchor the artificial tooth to strong natural teeth when replacing missing teeth with bridgework. If you opt for dental implants, a titanium post will be implanted into the jawbone to serve as the tooth root. Once it heals, a crown will be connected to the post via an abutment, becoming your replacement tooth. 

Cosmetic Reasons 

Dental crowns are custom-made to restore the shape, size, and even shade of a damaged tooth if you use a tooth-colored crown. As such, your dentist may recommend crowns to enhance the appearance of imperfect teeth such as:

• Excessively or unevenly worn down – resulting in very short teeth 
• Badly shaped teeth 
• Severely stained teeth 
• Widely gapped teeth 

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are an affordable and versatile dental treatment that can be used for repair or cosmetic dental applications.

To learn more about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today.

A dental crown refers to a cap that is bonded over the entire surface of a damaged tooth to encapsulate the portion of the tooth above the gums. It can be used to repair different types of tooth damage including cracked teeth, large cavities, discoloration, and misshapen teeth. They can also be used alongside other tooth restoration procedures such as root canal therapy, to strengthen the tooth, and dental bridgework to support a tooth replacement. 

A cap helps to restore the size, shape, and strength of a tooth while improving its appearance. If you’re a suitable candidate for dental crowns, your dentist may recommend one of the following materials for your permanent crown:

Tooth-Colored Crowns 

Tooth-colored crowns that are fabricated entirely from porcelain are referred to as all-porcelain crowns, while those made entirely from ceramic are known as all-ceramic crowns. Dental composite resin is another tooth-colored material that can give you an aesthetic restoration. Composite crowns are highly affordable, but are arguably the weakest material for crowns since they’re prone to chipping, cracking, and rapid wear. 

Your dentist may also recommend Zirconium, which is a fairly new dental material that produces crowns that are as strong and durable as metal crowns and natural-looking for an aesthetic restoration. They’re also biocompatible, meaning that they won’t cause allergic reactions, and can be fabricated at the dentist’s office for same-day crown restorations. 

Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are generally fabricated with a metal base and porcelain coating, which gives them the strength of metal crowns and the aesthetics of tooth-colored crowns. However, porcelain-metal crowns tend to be abrasive to opposing teeth, which increases their wear rate. The metal ring on the crown may also become visible in the event of gum recession. 

Metal Crowns 

Crowns made from metal are the strongest and most durable option, plus they’re not abrasive to opposing teeth. Different metals can be used to fabricate crowns, including gold, platinum, copper, and alloys like nickel-chromium and cobalt-chromium. Most metal crowns are made from a blend of metals, like gold and the base metal alloys. 

Tooth-Colored vs. Metal Crowns

Tooth-colored materials give the restoration a natural look, which makes them a popular choice for repairing front teeth in order to preserve the aesthetics of your smile. They come in different shades, so you can choose a specific color that closely matches the shade of your teeth to make the restoration unnoticeable. 

Metal crowns are primarily used to repair back teeth because they’re strong and highly resistant, and they’re not visible when smiling, which makes aesthetics less of a concern. But they may not be suitable for people who’re allergic to metals or those with aesthetic concerns. 

To learn more about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today.

A dental crown is a customized tooth cap designed to cover a damaged tooth in order to restore its shape and size, enhance its strength, and improve its appearance. When successfully cemented in place, a dental crown encases the portion of the tooth above the gum line, providing total protection. 

Dental Crowns for Tooth Repair 

This may be necessary if you have extensive tooth damage that has compromised the structure of your natural teeth. For instance, your dentist may recommend dental crowns to:

• Protect a chipped, broken, or fractured tooth and prevent further damage
• Repair large cavities that cannot be successfully repaired with dental fillings 
• Replace previously placed fillings and strengthen the tooth. 
• Encase a tooth restored with root canal therapy to strengthen it and cover up the filler material for an aesthetic finish 

Dental Crowns for Tooth Replacement

If you want to replace one or more missing teeth, your dentist may recommend either bridgework or implants. A dental bridge refers to an artificial tooth that is anchored to the teeth adjacent to the gap, holding it firmly in place. The artificial tooth is bonded to the adjacent teeth through dental crowns so it stays suspended in the gap. If you opt for dental implants, a titanium post will be implanted into the jawbone to serve as the tooth root. Once it heals, a crown will be connected to the post via an abutment, becoming your replacement tooth. 

Dental Crowns for Cosmetic Purposes 

Dental crowns are custom-made to restore the shape, size, and even shade of a damaged tooth if you use a tooth-colored crown. As such, your dentist may recommend crowns to enhance the appearance of imperfect teeth such as:

• Excessively or unevenly worn down – resulting in very short teeth 
• Badly shaped teeth 
• Severely stained teeth 
• Widely gapped teeth 

Learn More about Dental Crowns

Depending on your specific case, your dentist will help you choose the most appropriate material for your custom dental crowns, restoring the function or aesthetic of your mouth, or both. To learn more about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today.

Dental crowns are a fairly common type of tooth repair option that works by encapsulating a damaged tooth to restore its size, shape, and strength, while improving its appearance.

A few years ago, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns were the preferred option because they combine the benefits of both porcelain and metal crowns (strength and aesthetics). However, the metals used to fuse with porcelain have become expensive in recent years, forcing patients to consider alternative materials. Moreover, either of these materials can be used individually to craft crowns of a satisfactory standard. 

Types of Metal Crowns 

Crowns made from metal are the strongest and most durable option, plus they’re not abrasive to opposing teeth. Different metals can be used to fabricate crowns, including gold, platinum, stainless steel, copper, and alloys like nickel-chromium and cobalt-chromium. Stainless steel crowns are typically used for temporary applications, like for the repair of primary teeth for children or for temporary crowns as adult patients wait for the fabrication of their permanent crown. 

Most metal crowns are made from a blend of metals, like gold and the base metal alloys. They are primarily used to repair back teeth because they’re strong and highly resistant, and they’re not visible when smiling, which makes aesthetics less of a concern. But they may not be suitable for people who’re allergic to metals or those with aesthetic concerns. 

Tooth-Colored Crowns 

Dental crowns that are fabricated entirely from porcelain are referred to as all-porcelain crowns, while those made entirely from ceramic are known as all-ceramic crowns. These tooth-colored materials give the restoration a natural look, which makes them a popular choice for repairing front teeth in order to preserve the aesthetics of your smile. 

Dental composite resin is another tooth-colored material that can give you an aesthetic restoration. All-resin materials don’t contain any metals. They are highly affordable, but are arguably the weakest material for crowns since they’re prone to chipping, cracking, and rapid wear. 

Zirconium is a biocompatible dental material that produces crowns that are as strong and durable as metal crowns and natural-looking for an aesthetic restoration. Zirconia crowns don’t cause allergic reactions, and can be fabricated at the dentist’s office for same-day crown restorations. 

The Right Material for Your Crowns 

Please discuss the pros and cons of each material with your dentist to determine the most appropriate one for your permanent crown restoration.

To learn more about Dental Crowns in Litchfield MN please contact us today.

Dental crowns in Litchfield are a popular treatment because they can be used to repair different kinds of tooth damage, including chips, cracks, fractures, decay, damaged fillings, and even to close small gaps between teeth. They can also be used with dental bridgework or implants to replace one or more missing teeth.

The Procedure 

If you’re a suitable candidate for crowns, the dentist will complete your treatment in two appointments. The first visit is for preparing the tooth for repair. Your dentist will first numb the damaged tooth before beginning any work. If the tooth is infected, the decay will be removed and the cavity thoroughly cleaned.  

The dentist will then take digital impressions that will be used to create your custom tooth cap in a dental lab, making sure to match the color of your crown to that of your teeth or use a different shade if you wish to improve your smile. A temporary crown will then be placed to help you eat properly in the meantime. 

On your next visit, the temporary crown will be replaced with the permanent one, and properly fitted to “cap” the entire damaged or decayed area of the tooth. This will make it look and function like your natural teeth. 

Advantages of Crowns 

• Dental crown placement is a painless procedure since the dentist administers a local anesthetic before starting any treatment on the tooth. 
• Dental crowns in Litchfield are custom-made to your exact needs, including the size, shape, and shade of adjacent teeth. The crown is designed using computer-aided design (CAD/CAM) technology and fabricated through milling a ceramic block. 
• While waiting for the permanent crown to be fabricated, you will be fitted with a temporary one to protect the teeth and prevent tooth sensitivity when eating. 

When the procedure is complete, your dentist in Litchfield will advise you on how to care for your new tooth to ensure that it lasts forever. Proper care includes brushing regularly, flossing at least once a day, avoiding biting down or chewing hard foods and items. 

To learn more about dental crowns and whether they’re good for you, please schedule a consultation today. 

Dental crowns also referred to as tooth caps, are placed on a damaged tooth to strengthen its structure, restore its normal size, shape, and function, and/or improve its appearance. The dental crowns dentist will place a cap that fully encases the visible portion of your tooth above the gum line, such that it becomes the new outer surface of the tooth.  

Common Applications of Dental Crowns 

A dental crown is a permanent tooth repair option that can be used to restore different kinds of dental damage, including:

• Missing tooth – can be used to support bridgework or paired with a dental implant 
• Large cavity that would otherwise require a large filling 
• Weakened tooth due to excess wear or cracks – to support and protect the remaining structure 
• Decayed tooth – can be used to strengthen a tooth restored with root canal therapy 
• Poorly shaped or severely discolored tooth – to conceal the imperfection and improve your smile 

If you’re planning on getting a dental crown, then you should try to learn as much as you can about this versatile treatment before scheduling your dental visit. Although your dentist in Litchfield can provide the information you need, educating yourself about the procedure will allow you to ask the right questions to ensure that the results you get are exactly what you wanted. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind about dental crowns:

• Tooth-colored crowns will give you the most natural tooth appearance because they blend in with your natural teeth and make the repair unnoticeable, producing an even, white smile. 
• You need at least two dental appointments because dental crowns are created in a lab, which takes time. On your first visit, the dental crowns dentist will prepare the site, take digital impressions, and install a temporary crown. On your second visit, the permanent crown will be placed so it “caps” the entire damaged or decayed area of the tooth. This will make it look and function like your natural teeth. 

To learn more about dental crowns and whether they’re right for your case, please schedule your visit.