Types of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are a cover that fits over your natural tooth. It completely encases your tooth, giving it a new exterior.

There are three different types of dental crowns.

before and after results of dental crowns, patient of Beyond Exceptional Dentistry

Metal Crowns

These crowns are made entirely of metal, usually noble metals like gold. These crowns function very well: they require little natural tooth material to be removed, don’t cause much wear on opposing teeth, and last for a long time. Unfortunately, they are very obvious and make many people self-conscious about their teeth.

Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns

These crowns conceal metal underneath an aesthetic ceramic exterior. Although these are more attractive than metal crowns, they still have a small line of metal visible at the base that can become exposed if you have receding gums. They are also not as translucent as natural tooth enamel, and the ceramic coating can separate from the underlying metal structure under heavy wear conditions.

Ceramic Crowns

These crowns are made entirely of advanced ceramic material. With the increasing strength of ceramic materials, the performance of these crowns has improved dramatically in recent years, and they are now long-lasting and attractive restorations.

Stainless steel and resin crowns are good temporary options.

Crowns for Decay and Damage

Dental crowns are most often used to support and repair a tooth that has extensive decay or damage. When a tooth cracks in a way that means it no longer has structural integrity, placing a crown can strengthen and protect the tooth. If a tooth has extensive decay that leads to weakening of the tooth, or if the decay has reached the tooth pulp, then a crown may be used, often after a root canal procedure.

Reasons You Might Need a Dental Crown

In most cases, we use dental crowns to restore the strength, structure, and function of teeth. In cosmetic cases, porcelain veneers might be a better option for you instead of dental crowns. However, the most common reasons someone needs a dental crown include the following.

During a consultation with Dr. Ryan Reeves or Dr. Brill, they will examine your teeth to determine if a dental crown is the best option for your needs. If it’s not, they will tell you about your other treatment options.

before and after results of dental crowns, patient of Beyond Exceptional Dentistry Dental Crowns Procedure

If you need a dental crown and we’re placing it over an existing tooth, we will start by prepping your tooth. If you need a root canal or decay removed, we will complete that first. To prep your tooth for the crown, we will remove some tooth material to make room for the crown. We will take impressions after we finish the tooth prep. We send the impressions to a dental lab to create the permanent crown. In the meantime, you will wear a temporary crown. After the crown returns from the lab, we will test the fit, shape, size, and appearance before cementing it in place.

If we’re placing a dental crown on a dental implant to replace a missing tooth, we will still take impressions, but the only prep work that occurs beforehand is placing the dental implant.

Replace Metal Crowns with Ceramic Crowns

If your current smile has numerous black metal amalgam fillings, you may want to have them removed to give you a more attractive appearance. However, sometimes removing fillings will leave your tooth with poor structural integrity, requiring a crown for support.

If you have old metal crowns, you may want them replaced with new ceramic crowns.

How Crowns Can Rebalance Your Bite

If you are suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder TMJ or TMD, one of the treatments we may try is a bite reconstruction. In this procedure, we use dental crowns to build up your teeth so that they support your jaw in a more comfortable position, which may reduce or eliminate jaw pain or headaches associated with the condition.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

Looking for other reasons to get a dental crown? Dental crowns come with a wide range of benefits. For starters, ceramic dental crowns look completely natural. We custom-make them so they complement your existing tooth appearance. No one will even notice you have a crown. Dental crowns are also one of the best treatments for protecting your teeth. It doesn’t matter how much damage your natural tooth has. Dental crowns protect your underlying tooth from further damage so you don’t have to worry about needing an extraction.

Dental crowns are long-lasting and more durable than dental fillings and inlay and onlays. When you get a dental crown, you can look forward to amazing results for years to come.

Why You Should Restore Your Smile With Dental Crowns in Savannah

If you’re searching for a solution to restore strength, functionality, and aesthetics to your smile, dental crowns might be the right solution for you. To learn more about how crowns can help you achieve a more attractive, more comfortable, and more functional bite, please contact Beyond Exceptional Dentistry for more information.