Dental Crowns & Benefits
Dental crown consists a restorative intervention, which aims to protect, strengthen and restore damaged or broken teeth. A tooth can be restored aesthetically and functionally through a dental crown – cap.
Indications for placing an artificial cap
The causes that lead to the solution of dental crown are plenty, such as tooth decay, loss of tooth surface, large old dental fillings, a cracked or broken tooth, sensitivity of a tooth after a root canal, support of a denture or dental bridge and aesthetic restoration. Due to these causes, a tooth can be significantly reduced in volume, something that makes it sensitive, weak and uneven compared to the rest of the teeth.
When a tooth has still enough volume, other restoration methods are usually chosen, such as veneers or inlays. However, when a big amount of the tooth substance has been lost, a dental filling cannot be supported, making the placement of a dental crown necessary.
Types
There are four different types of dental crowns and they are divided into all ceramic, metal – ceramic, zirconia and metallic. All ceramic dental crowns are made entirely of porcelain, metal – ceramic are made of metal alloy covered with porcelain, zirconia dental crowns are made of zirconium surrounded by ceramic and metallic dental crowns are made of an alloy of gold, palladium or other metals. Regarding the aesthetic result, zirconia dental crowns, like all ceramic ones, provide uniformity, without standing out from natural teeth. On the other hand, metal cases are characterised by durability, overriding the aesthetics. For this reason, their use is recommended for teeth that are not easily obvious.
Placement process
For the placement of a dental crown requires a total of three visits to the dentist. In the first visit, the geometry of the tooth that needs to be restored is studied and colour sampling is carried out. In this way, the dentist tries to estimate all the factors that will contribute to the creation of a uniform image. Then, under the influence of local anaesthesia, the infected and disputed part of the tooth that requires construction is removed, reducing its volume. After that, the dentist sculpts the remaining tooth in order to succeed the case. In many cases, root canal of the tooth or a placement of an axis may precede, depending on the incident. Finally, a dental crown is placed temporary.
In the second session, the temporary dental crown is removed and the permanent one is tested, because the dentist has to ensure that it perfectly fits. If no unevenness or complications arise, the dentist attaches the permanent dental crown. After this process, the dentist will arrange a third session for the examination of the crown and the resolution of any problem that might emerge.
Duration & Effects
A dental crown can last from 10 to 15 years, a fact that is directly affected by the patient’s oral hygiene. Teeth grinding or clenching are also factors that influence the durability of dental crown. For this reason, proper nutrition, oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist can contribute to their maintenance. However, after 15 years a dental crown should be replaced.
