Introduction
Dental crowns are a common component in modern day dentistry, used by many people to restore broken down teeth. Over time, we’ve been asked a multitude of questions about crowns, so we decided to gather the top 13 questions in this article. If you have more questions or thoughts, let us know!
Do Dental Crowns Come with Any Kind of Guarantee or Warranty?
Dental crowns usually come with an assurance that they are free from defects. However, guarantees can become complicated when it’s necessary to figure out why a crown broke. Since crowns and teeth are mainly designed to eat .
And chew, problems often arise when people use their teeth for tasks like opening bottles or chewing matchsticks. As long as you respect your dental crown, take care of it, and maintain your natural teeth, and as long as there is no manufacturing defect, your crown should last for many years.
Can a Dental Crown Last Forever and Is It Worth It?
A dental crown can indeed last for the rest of your life if it is looked after properly and not exposed to extreme impact. While the average dental crown typically lasts around 10 years, with proper care, it can go much longer. Some of the common reasons a crown might need to be replaced include wear and tear or damage from accidents, but if maintained well, it’s worth the investment as it can provide long-lasting protection for your tooth.
- Fracture: Especially when it comes to a porcelain crown,
- Aesthetics: Over time, your natural teeth may darken, causing the crown to appear relatively lighter in comparison.
- Gum recession: As we age, the gums naturally recede, causing our teeth to appear longer, which is the origin of the expression “long in the tooth.” This gum resorption can lead to the exposure of the tooth/crown margin, which may appear more prominent and take on a greyish hue.
- Underlying tooth decay: Even though you have a crown, the tooth underneath can still decay, especially along the margins. This decay can lead to the need for removing the underlying tooth structure, which in turn requires the removal of the crown, often leading to the need for remaking it.
How to Take Care of My Dental Crown
Taking care of your dental crown doesn’t require special care. Simply follow a regular dental care routine to maintain good oral health. Make sure to clean your teeth twice per day using a pea sized amount of toothpaste.
Don’t forget to clean in between your teeth at least once a day using floss or an interdental brush. Even though you have a false tooth, it’s still important to look after your gums to prevent gum disease and other oral health problems.
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a full surface covering that fits over the crowned tooth, essentially covering the entire tooth. It is used in situations where a large amount of tooth structure has been damaged or lost. Crowns are designed to rebuild the tooth to its full-size, restoring its strength and functionality.
Why do certain dental procedures, such as crowns, incur high costs?
Dental procedures can be quite costly due to a variety of factors:
- The complexity of the treatment can be significant. Some procedures are highly complex and require many years of specialized training for a dentist to become skilled enough to perform them.
- The location of the surgery plays a significant role in its cost. Dental surgeries are often situated in convenient locations along high streets, which typically come with a higher cost due to their prime position.
- Manufacturing and production costs for dental treatments, such as crowns, are significant. These crowns are often created by a dental laboratory, and their cost can be quite high, particularly when a quality dental lab is involved.
Why Do Dentists Recommend a Crown?
When a tooth is breaking down, dentists often recommend a dental crown because it can prevent the process of continuous fillings that keep getting bigger. If a considerable amount of the natural tooth has broken down, a dental filling or dental inlay might not be enough.
Over time, this could lead to more fillings, increasing the costly visits to the dentist. Sometimes, dentists can see that the tooth is damaged to such a degree that it would be more efficient to prescribe a crown from the beginning, helping you save both money and time in the long run.
Alternatives to Dental Crowns
If your natural tooth has broken down to the point where a dental filling or dental inlay can no longer work, the main alternative to a dental crown is to have the tooth removed. However, this is not an ideal choice because it leaves a space in your mouth.
Which can cause the bite to be altered as the surrounding teeth start to drift. If you wish to keep as many teeth as possible and have lost a significant amount of natural tooth structure, a crown may be your best option.
What to Do If a Dental Crown Falls Off
If a dental crown falls off, the first step is to retain it. You can buy some temporary adhesive from pharmacies, which can be used in an emergency to fit back the crown temporarily. However, for the crown to be fitted back permanently, you will need to visit a dentist. The dentist will then remove any hardened cement or blue material on the inside of the crown, and once this is done, the crown can be refitted properly.
Are Dental Crowns Painful?
Dental crowns are generally not painful. Before any invasive dental work, you will always receive a local injection. A good tip is to ask your dentist to use a topical anaesthetic gel beforehand. This gel is applied with a cotton wool bud to the gum at the site where the injection will be given.
The gel numbs the gum, so you won’t even feel the needle. After having crowns fitted, you might experience mild sensitivity for a few days, but this is normal as the tooth is settling down after the procedure, and there’s usually nothing to worry about.
Pros and Cons of Dental Crowns vs. Bridges
The question often asked is about the pros and cons of Dental Crowns versus a bridge. However, this is a bit of a non-question because a dental crown is used to replace a single tooth, while a bridge replaces multiple teeth.
The outcomes of both treatments are completely different, so it’s hard to compare them directly. A dental crown may be used as a single replacement for a missing tooth, especially when it’s placed as a restoration over a dental implant.
Why Are Dental Crowns Recommended After a Root Canal?
After a root canal treatment, dental crowns are often recommended to help restore the tooth. This is especially true when decay has affected the nerve and blood supply of the tooth, causing damage to both the part of the tooth you see and the internal structure.
When the tooth has broken down, a root canal is often combined with a crown to provide strength and protection. However, if the bulk of the tooth remains unaffected, a permanent crown may not be necessary, and the root canal can be done without having a crown fitted afterward.
What’s the Best Crown for Back Teeth?
For back teeth, the best crown option usually focuses on strength and functionality rather than aesthetics. Full metal crowns or porcelain fused with metal crowns, often made from metal alloys, tend to be stronger and more durable. While ceramic crowns are beautiful and commonly used for front teeth, they are not as strong as those made with metal, making them less ideal for back teeth.
The process of getting any type of crown is the same: your dentist prepares the tooth, takes an impression, and sends it to a dent laboratory to have the crown manufactured. Once ready, the dentist fits the restoration over the prepared tooth.
What Is the Best Dental Crown Material?
The best dental crown material depends on your needs and where the crown will be placed in your mouth. For strength, precious metal alloys, like gold alloy, are considered the strongest material, but they are often undesirable, especially for front teeth due to their appearance. Porcelain bonded crowns are among the most common materials and have a long track record of success, offering a balance between strength and look.
For temporary crowns, the weakest material is usually acrylic or composite. All ceramic crowns offer a natural look and are ideal for front teeth, but may not be as strong as porcelain bonded crowns. Each material is suited for a different situation, based on strength and aesthetic preferences.
Summary
Dental crowns are a routine dental treatment typically needed after dental decay or traumatic loss of tooth structure. They can blend in with your teeth and look natural, creating a harmonious appearance. With proper care, they can last for many years, and in some cases, even a lifetime if they are looked after well.