A dental crown is a type of restoration that covers the tooth and protects its exposed inner surface, which helps to restore the natural appearance of a tooth. Crowns are made from porcelain or metal alloy, and in some cases can be attached to gold or ceramic. The purpose of this article is to give you an overview of dental crowns and how they’re used in dentistry. This includes a brief history on how crowns have been used for centuries, as well as outlining their materials, benefits, and indications for use.
Who is dental crowns for?
Crowns are for patients with serious tooth damage or decay. A crown completely encloses the circumference of a tooth, providing protection from further decay, cracks, and fractures. A crown can also help strengthen a tooth if it has suffered from crack or fracture, and in many cases restore jawbone loss.
Health benefits of dental crowns
Below are various health benefits of having a dental crown as part of your oral health plan.
- Crowns can protect teeth from further decay
Dental decay occurs on the outer surfaces of a tooth. By having a crown, this will help prevent any future decay from occurring on these exposed surfaces. Due to the fact that crowns are made of porcelain or metal alloy, it’s often difficult for bacteria to attach themselves onto these surfaces. A dental crown can also protect against cracks and fractures that can be caused by biting forces which are transmitted from the jawbone to the teeth. This is what causes most of the damage to teeth and needs some sort of restoration work if it has been damaged in this way.
- Other benefits include tooth repair and relief of jaw pain
Not only does dental crown repair help to strengthen a tooth, but it can also relieve some of the jaw pain that may be present. A crown will help to create an even surface for the tooth and the surrounding jawbone to attach onto, which means that there won’t be any pain or discomfort for you when eating or speaking. A dental crown in this sense is often used as a long-term treatment option to replace a lost tooth.
- Crowns can also provide aesthetics restoration
A dental restoration is often used as an aesthetic option by treating teeth in such a way as to make them look more attractive and pleasing. A crown will help to give a natural looking appearance, especially in situations where you have an exposed root or decay that needs to be treated. If a tooth has been chipped or broken, then a dental restoration can also hide these unattractive features by giving the tooth a more harmonious shape as well as color. Often, if other teeth are of similar coloring and shape, crowns can also be used to create symmetry amongst all your teeth for aesthetic reasons.
- Crowns help protect against fracture and fracture-causing biting forces
Dental crowns provide teeth protection from fracturing from occurring due to biting forces being transferred from the jawbone to the tooth. A crown will help to provide support to the tooth and allow it to resist chewing forces without breaking or fracturing.
- Crowns can also protect teeth from further damage within the mouth
A crown can also be used to protect teeth from further damage and trauma that may occur within the mouth. A tooth can sustain further damage if it has cracked, has a root exposed, or is in some way compromised with decay. The use of a dental restoration can prevent this from occurring and reduce the risk of infection spreading into surrounding tissue.
- Crowns can prevent jawbone loss
A crown is often used to help protect outer teeth, or incisors, which are the front teeth. This protects these teeth from cracking and fracturing that can occur if there is a lack of jawbone present on this tooth. This will also prevent a tooth fracture from occurring in the future. If you have lost some of your jawbone due to an accident, or in other cases such as having gum disease, then your dental crowns may need to be replaced.
Conclusion
Although crowns can readily be attached to your teeth, in some cases they will need to be fitted during a dental procedure known as a dental crown repair. This can be carried out at any time after the tooth is first damaged, and before the final restoration is done on the tooth. A Temple Terrace dentist may choose to fit a dental restoration in this way if they feel that it would offer you greater protection against further damage and decay.