If you want a smile that's your crowning glory, you may need a crown to cover a tooth and restore it to its normal shape and size. A crown can make your tooth stronger and improve its appearance.
It can cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't enough tooth left. It can be used to attach a bridge, protect a weak tooth from breaking or restore one that's already broken. A crown is a good way to cover teeth that are discolored or badly shaped. It's also used to cover a dental implant.
If we recommend a crown, it's probably to correct one of these conditions. Our primary concern, like yours, is helping you keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright -- literally, your crowning glory.
Preparing the Tooth
If you need a crown, you may also need a
root canal treatment on the tooth,
due to extensive decay or the risk of infection or injury to the tooth's pulp.
Not everyone who needs a crown will also need a root canal.
Besides the crown, Dr. Williams or Scott may need to build up a foundation to support the crown. A foundation would be needed if large areas of the natural tooth structure were decayed, damaged, or missing. If you are receiving the crown after root-canal treatment, your dentist may insert a post-and-core foundation.
To place a crown, we must file down the tooth to make room for it. If you are receiving an all-metal crown, less tooth structure will be removed because these crowns are thinner than all-porcelain ones.
After filing down the tooth, Dr. Williams or Scott will use a piece of thread or cord to push the gum down around the tooth, and then make an impression of the tooth. The impression material sets in five or six minutes and is removed. An impression of the teeth above or below the tooth that will receive the crown will be taken, to make sure the crown will not affect your bite.
The impressions are sent to the lab, where the crown is made. During that time, you will have a temporary crown. These crowns are usually made of acrylic and are made in the dental office on the day of your visit. They are not meant to last. If a temporary crown is left in the mouth, the cement eventually washes out and the tooth can develop decay.
At a second visit, the temporary crown will be removed and permanent one will be tested. Sometimes crowns need additional polishing or glaze before they are placed. Once the crown is ready, it's cemented to your tooth.
After a Crown
You shouldn't feel any discomfort or sensitivity after a crown is placed, though
if your tooth still has the nerve in it, you may have some hot/cold sensitivity.
If you notice pain or sensitivity when you bite down, you should contact Dr.
Williams or Scott Usually this means that the crown is too high on the tooth.
This can be easily fixed.
You may notice a dark line next to the gumline on your crowned tooth, particularly if you have porcelain crown. This dark line is the metal of the crown showing through and is normal. A crowned tooth is not protected from decay or gum disease. You should continue practicing good oral hygiene.
Crowns, especially all-porcelain ones, can chip. This can sometimes be repaired in the mouth. Dr. Williams or Scott will etch the porcelain with acid and bond composite resin to it to fix the chip. If the chipping is extensive, you may need a replacement crown.
It's also possible that the cement could wash out from under the crown, but the crown does not fall out. Under these conditions, bacteria can leak in and cause decay. If your crown seems loose, contact Dr. Williams or Scott.
Your crown may fall out, due to a lack of cement or an improper fit. If this happens, clean the crown and the tooth. You can replace the crown temporarily using denture adhesive or temporary cement sold for this purpose. Contact Drs. Scott and Williams immediately and try to schedule a visit for the next day. If you are away from home, seek a dentist in the area who can evaluate the problem. You may need a new crown or it may be possible to re-cement the old one on the tooth.