What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are a specific type of dental restoration designed to improve the function and appearance of teeth. Crowns are made with several different materials, ranging from porcelain to metal. The placement of dental crowns is considered a dental procedure because it requires several steps in order to safely and effectively complete it.
What Do Crowns Treat?
Crowns are not considered a treatment, but are instead considered a type of dental restoration. Porcelain dental crowns are designed to cover damaged teeth while mimicking the function and appearance of a natural tooth.
Why Are Crowns Important in Dentistry?
Crowns are an important part of dental care because they allow dental professionals to restore function to damaged or decayed teeth rather than losing a tooth altogether. Crowns can be placed after a root canal or a large drilling and subsequent filling and are even utilized in the placement of dental implants.
Pros of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are vital to numerous dental treatment plans and come along with a host of advantages. Crowns are durable, aesthetically pleasing, and can allow natural teeth to be saved rather than facing extraction.
Improved Strength After Decay
When natural teeth have experienced a great deal of damage or decay, they are susceptible to breakage and further decay. Crowns placed on the teeth can prevent further tooth decay and improve oral health by improving the strength of otherwise weak teeth.
Improved Aesthetic Appearance
Dental crowns have long been used to improve the appearance of teeth that are decayed, chipped, or cracked. Whether they are used on your front teeth or back, porcelain and composite crowns can improve the appearance of teeth that are clearly damaged.
Improved Functionality
Whether you utilize metal crowns or porcelain crowns, a crown improves the functionality of damaged or decayed teeth by allowing the tooth to be used with the same intensity allowed by natural teeth. From dental implants to dental bridges, crowns provide a placeholder to allow your teeth and jaws to function normally, even when faced with damage and decay.
Cons of Dental Crowns
While crowns have been used with great success in dentistry, there are some disadvantages of dental crowns.
The Preparation Process
In order to place a dental crown, you must first shave teeth down and complete additional preparation procedures. Teeth are shaved down in order to fit within a crown while maintaining the same aesthetic appearance of the false tooth. This process means that teeth that have received a crown can no longer function without a crown, making a crown a permanent procedure, even in the absence of additional decay.
Replacement Needs
Although a temporary crown is clearly indicated for an eventual replacement, many people do not recognize that dental crowns must eventually be replaced. Because crowns are not natural teeth, they do not last for eternity within the oral cavity. Eventually, they must be replaced to prevent damage to the crown, tooth, or surrounding teeth.
