Learning More About Dental Crowns at Strong Roots Dental
Hi, I'm Dr. Ramya Narayanan from Strong Roots Dental. I'm here today to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about dental crowns.
What are dental crowns?
A dental crown is like a cap that covers the entirety of the tooth structure to protect the tooth.
What are the alternatives to dental crowns?
Frankly, there are no true alternatives to dental crowns because dental crowns are used to protect the tooth. You can have different types of dental crowns, whether it's full coverage, partial coverage, or just more cosmetic, like a veneer. All of these are ways to cover the tooth to protect it.
What type of dental crowns are there?
There are several kinds of dental crowns. Different materials can be used for dental crowns. You can have a full coverage crown, a three-quarter crown, a partial coverage, a metal crown, or veneers, which are more cosmetic.
What different materials are used in dental crowns and what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Several materials can be used depending on the positioning of the tooth where the crown is given, whether it is a back tooth, which takes up most of your masticatory or chewing forces, or your front teeth, which is more cosmetic. For example, you can have zirconia crowns for someone who grinds their teeth because zirconia is a strong material that, when placed and it covers the tooth, takes up the brunt of the biting forces so that nothing happens to the tooth. Or it can be porcelain or feldspathic, which is very cosmetic and generally beautiful, giving you the natural translucency for your front teeth.
Is a dental crown necessary after a root canal treatment?
The answer is absolutely, and I'll tell you why. A root canal means you're taking the nerve out of that tooth, which means the tooth does not have any blood or nerve supply. The tooth is practically dead, and it's just there for aesthetic purposes. When that happens, the tooth becomes brittle with time and cannot take your biting forces. At some point down the road, it can break or shear. To prevent that from happening, we recommend a dental crown. It goes over the tooth and protects it so that when you bite down, the forces go onto that crown, and nothing happens to the tooth.
Does the dental crown placement hurt?
The answer to that is no. You will get numb, so you will be anesthetized to get that procedure done. Once you get numb, you should not feel anything. You may be a little sore from just the fact that work was done that day, but nothing to the point of pain.
Are there any consequences for getting a tooth crown?
No. One of the most important things is to keep the area clean, whether it is your natural tooth or whether you have a crown. It's essential to brush and floss and keep the area clean, and regularly visit your dentist to make sure there's nothing happening beneath the crown.
Is it worth putting children's teeth in crowns?
Sometimes it is a requirement because children's teeth can have decay, and if the decay is very close to the nerve, a procedure is done to remove the nerve from their tooth. Then a stainless steel crown is placed over again to protect that tooth until it's ready for the baby tooth to come out, so there is enough space for the permanent tooth to come in.
Do crowns look like normal teeth?
Absolutely. These days, the advancement is such that it's very hard to tell the natural tooth apart from the crown. They are generally shade-matched and anatomy-matched with the rest of your teeth.
Can you get cavities on a crown tooth?
Absolutely. A crown tooth still has the tooth in place, and the crown is just protection around or over that tooth. It's still very important to do your homework in terms of brushing, flossing, and keeping the area clean. Of course, visiting the dentist every six months ensures any cavity brewing underneath the crown is caught in a timely fashion.
How long can you expect a dental crown to last?
I have seen people with dental crowns that have been good for two years and others for 20 years. The answer is not one but variable. It depends on factors like how healthy the tooth was, how well the crown has been cared for by the patient, and regular visits to the dentist. Generally, if everything goes well and everything is done right, I have seen crowns lasting for 20 years.
Does insurance cover dental crowns?
Most major dental insurances do. You will obviously have some kind of co-pay, but your insurance coordinator or when you come into the office, we'll help you find that out.
How can I schedule an appointment for a dental crown?
That's easy. Just call Strong Roots Dental at (551) 553-4277, or schedule below!