One of the services Jamestowne South Dental provides here at Perfecting Your Smile is dental crowns. Other than a standard filling, it is one of the most common restorative dental procedures we perform, but it often seems like people know less about them than they do fillings. To help remedy that, we’ve put together a few of the most important and essential bits of information as they pertain to dental crowns.

What is a Dental Crown?

Put simply, a dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over a tooth to cover it and restore its shape, size, strength, and/or appearance. When done right, they are indistinguishable from your real teeth, making them a popular solution to many dental issues.

To be more specific, dental crowns are used on many types of patients, though the most common types of problems that could require a dental crown include:

1. A weak or decayed tooth that looks as though it could break or fall apart without the assistance of a crown to hold it together.
2. A broken or severely worn tooth that requires restoration.
3. A filling that ended up removing too much of the original tooth, so a crown is necessary to help cover and support it to keep whatever tooth is left.
4. Some dental bridges need stronger anchors, and a crown can help create a stronger hold.
5. Misshapen or discolored teeth can be covered with a properly-formed and colored crown.
6. Dental implants that need to be covered.
7. Some patients want a cosmetic modification, and crowns are an easy solution.
8. Following a root canal, a crown is often used to keep the remaining tooth intact.

How Do Crowns Work?

Often, getting a crown is a two-visit type of procedure. To start, Jamestowne South Dental will likely take x-rays of the tooth or teeth receiving a crown to examine the area and be sure of what type of procedure is necessary. From there, he will numb the tooth and gum and reshape the tooth or teeth that need reshaping to accommodate the crown. If the tooth injury is severe enough to impact the pulp, a root canal may be the first step, after which Jamestowne South Dental will reshape the tooth and provide a temporary crown.

The time between your first and second visit is used to custom-make a realistic crown that will be the permanent cover for your remaining tooth. The second visit will involve removing the temporary crown and replacing it with the new one. When it’s all said and done, you won’t be able to tell the difference between it and your real teeth! If you are curious as to whether a dental crown is the correct solution to pain, structural problems, or aesthetic issues with your teeth, call Jamestowne South Dental’s office and set up an appointment today. We will help you correct the problem one way or another, but at least if it’s going to be a crown, you will know what that entails and how such a procedure may be helpful.