When it comes to daily life, your dental health is not likely high on your list of thoughts or priorities. However, taking care of your teeth is an important part of your life that should never be neglected. And, it is important to know some of the facts about common dental procedures and treatments. Dental crowns are one of those treatments you can and should know more about. Learn some of the facts about dental crowns. Then, you can be sure you contact a dentist if you might need a crown on one of your teeth.
What Dental Crowns Are
Of course, to know more about dental crowns, you need to know what they are. Dental crowns are also sometimes referred to as caps. They are placed over the top of a tooth and are designed to restore teeth and/or protect the underlying structure of the tooth.
What Dental Crowns Are Made Of
Dental crowns are made from a wide variety of materials, from porcelain to metal alloys. There are also composite materials used to create dental crowns. Pure metal crowns are quite noticeable when a person opens their mouth as they look different from a natural tooth. Composite materials, porcelain, ceramics, and the like are actually made to look like a natural tooth, making it hard to detect that you have a dental crown at all.
There Are Permanent and Temporary Crowns
When it comes to putting dental crowns on your teeth, there are temporary and permanent crowns. If you go to the dentist and you have a broken tooth or you have a cavity that has done enough damage to require tissue removal from the tooth, you will likely receive a temporary crown at your dental appointment. This temporary crown will help to protect your tooth while the dentist has the permanent crown made for you. Temporary crowns are not as strong or as durable as the permanent version, so you will have to be careful with it, but it provides good protection in the meantime. Before you get this temporary crown, your dentist will perform any necessary treatment as well as take an impression of your tooth. That way, they can custom design and build your dental crown to make it look good and fit comfortably.
Now that you know more about dental crowns, you can be sure to go in to the dentist if you break or chip a tooth or have a potential cavity and know what to expect from the appointment.
Every time you take a bite of food, you should be grateful for your healthy teeth! A tooth can lose its health and structure quickly once decay sets in. Luckily, if you visit your dentist for regular appointments, the decay should not get too serious before your dentist notices it and can do something about it. That "something" is applying a filling. On the other hand, if the decay progresses too long before it is caught, you may need a crown or even an extraction.
We want to keep our teeth, and we know you want to keep yours. That's why we created this website to teach you more about dentists and dental care. Enjoy!