When a tooth is fractured, damaged severely by decay, or brittle due to a completed root canal treatment, the remaining tooth is fragile. A crown may be recommended to provide strength, protect the remaining tooth structure, and to improve the appearance of your smile.
Preparing a tooth for a crown requires usually two appointments. The first visit, the tooth is numbed with a local anesthetic for patient comfort. All decay is removed, and the tooth is shaped and prepared for a crown. A build-up or core may be required to re-build the tooth structure where the decay was removed. A very precise impression is then taken of the tooth preparation. Once this is completed, the tooth is fitted with a custom made temporary crown, and cemented on with a temporary cement. This will be worn during the next week or two, while the laboratory fabricates your custom designed crown. The dentist will use a dental shade guide to determine the most natural matching shade to the surrounding teeth; this shade will be used to fabricate the crown.
The second visit is usually done without anesthetic, unless the tooth is sensitive. The temporary crown is removed and the new, permanent crown is tried on the tooth to make sure it is a perfect fit. A perfectly constructed and esthetically pleasing crown is then cemented onto the tooth.
There may be an indication or preference for a crown cast in a high noble gold crown. With this type of crown there are no shades to match.
If you are considering whitening your teeth, speak with the dentist about whitening procedures before the crown preparation is done. It is important that the natural teeth are whitened prior to the crown shade match to give the best esthetic result.
Tooth loss has an impact on both the dental health and personal appearance. When one or more teeth are missing, the remaining teeth drift out of their original position. This drifting may lead to a change in the bite, change the smile, loss of more teeth, decay of adjacent teeth, and gum disease.
After a tooth is lost, the dentist may recommend a bridge to keep the teeth aligned, provide a better chewing surface, and to maintain a nice smile. The teeth on both sides of the missing tooth area are prepared for crowns, and an artificial tooth is attached to the crowns, suspended in between to create a bridge.
At the first of two visits, the teeth next to the missing tooth area are numbed with a local anesthetic. A shade guide is used to determine a natural shade for the bridged teeth. Then the teeth are both prepared for crowns by reshaping each tooth. Next a precise impression is taken for the dental laboratory to fabricate the custom bridge. A temporary bridge is made to wear during the following weeks while the laboratory fabricates the permanent bridge. At the next visit, the temporary is removed and the bridge is fitted to the two adjacent teeth. The bridge is permanently cemented after the dentist and the patient are happy with the results. Home care instructions are given at that time to show how to thread floss under the suspended teeth for daily plaque removal.
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