What is a Crown?

Crowns are a type of dental restoration made out of a thin shell of material that goes over your tooth. They’re designed to restore the part of the tooth over the gum, which is also called the “crown”. They’re usually used for molars and premolars, the teeth at the back of the mouth. Your Carson dental specialist at Fabulous Smiles Dental Care will custom design your crown to fit perfectly in your mouth without interfering with adjacent teeth.

What Are Crowns Made From?

There are many materials that can be used to make crowns, each with strengths and weaknesses. At Fabulous Smiles Dental Care, we use porcelain as it’s stain-resistant, chip-proof, long lasting, and has excellent cosmetic results. Porcelain looks very similar to natural tooth enamel, and will not be obvious sitting next to natural teeth either side.

What Can Crowns Treat?

The most common reasons to get a dental crown is to restore a damaged tooth. Typically this damage will be a chip, crack, or even a break in the tooth. Crowns can prevent damage getting worse (a chip splitting into a crack, or a crack turning into a break), or restore a tooth that’s broken to a functioning one.

Sometimes your dentist in Harbor City at Fabulous Smiles Dental Care will also suggest a crown under the following circumstances:

• The tooth has become worn down, usually due to grinding.

• To restore a tooth that has become permanently stained and can’t be whitened.

• To replace a tooth that’s missing or extracted, by placing the crown on a dental implant.

• To provide an abutment for a dental bridge, so a tooth can be replaced by anchoring the bridge on a healthy tooth.

• After a root canal treatment. This both restores the look and function of the tooth after the procedure, as well as maintaining the sterile field and preventing reinfection.

What’s The Process For Getting Crowns?

There are three stages to getting a crown. The first, like any dental treatment, is a consultation. This is where your dentist will work out what the problem is that needs fixing, and the best way to treat it with a crown.

Next, the tooth must be prepared. A small part of the dental enamel is shaved away so that there’s enough space for the crown. An impression is then made of the teeth and sent to the dental lab. There, the restoration is made to specification.

Finally, the crown is fitted and cemented in place.

Fabulous Smile Dental Care offers emergency dentistry, so you can get a broken tooth looked at quickly.

Did you know? Fabulous Smile Dental Care also has a specialist orthodontist in Lomita, to cater to all your orthodontic needs. Get a full mouth rehabilitation with braces, crowns, and veneers all in the one place!