Dental Crowns
A dental crown is a cap or cover that is placed on top of a damaged or weakened tooth. In short, it restores the tooth’s functionality and appearance.
Do I Need a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns are used to cover teeth that are weak, cracked, or otherwise compromised. They may also be used to cover a tooth that has been weakened after a root canal treatment.
Dental crowns offer several benefits to patients. If you have a tooth that is broken or decaying a dental crown protects the tooth from further damage. While its primary purpose is to strengthen your tooth, a crown can also do wonders for your smile. Likewise, crowns restore your chewing capabilities.
How Do Dental Crowns Work?
Essentially, a dental crown is a tooth covering that is cemented to the top of your tooth. Once in place, they hold the broken tooth together, which prevents it further damage.
The makeup of the crown allows it to withstand chewing pressure just like any other tooth. Although typically made from porcelain and ceramic, dental crowns are also made of resin, stainless steel and metal alloys.
What to Expect from a Dental Crown Procedure
Dental crowns are a multi-step process to assure a great fit and natural-appearing results. Before placing the dental crown over your tooth, the dentist will numb the damaged tooth area. Next, the dental professional will file the outer surface of the tooth so that the crown fits snugly around the tooth.
At this point, the dentist applies putty to the tooth to create a mold. Next, the dental professional sends the mold to a lab, who then uses the cast to create the actual crown. In the final step, the dentist uses cement to place the dental crown over the affected tooth.
Dental Crown Specialist in Manassas VA
