There are many dental prosthetic devices that can improve both your smile and the health of your mouth and teeth. Dental crowns are one of those devices that can make you feel better about the way you look when you open your mouth, providing you with more confidence during personal interactions, professional presentations, or whenever you need to look your best.
A crown is a “fixed” device. That means that once it’s in place, it is intended to stay there and does not function like other prosthetic devices that can be removed, like dentures.
They are inserted by restorative dental professionals like Dr. Shelly Mixson of Brookhaven, and are the ideal fix for a number of different dental problems.
They can be used to:
- Restore a fractured tooth
- Keep a tooth from becoming fractured
- Attach a bridge
- Cover a discolored tooth
- Cover a poorly-shaped tooth
- Cover a tooth that has undergone root canal
- Replace a large filling when there isn’t enough remaining tooth
After you’ve conferred with Dr. Mixson, if she decides that a crown (or crowns) are right for your dental issues, she’ll begin the process of preparing your tooth/teeth to receive them.
This begins by reducing the tooth in size so that the crown will properly fit atop the existing tooth. Once that’s complete, a member of our dental staff will take an impression that will provide a mold the dental lab can use to make your crown.
If the crown is to be made of porcelain (which is often the choice), the dentist will determine the right shade to match your other teeth so that the crown looks like the rest of your smile.
A temporary crown will then be put in place until the permanent one is ready to be inserted.
All of this will require a few visits that may span the course of a few weeks or more, depending on how quickly the crown is produced by the lab.
But Will Your Crown Last?
While the procedure for receiving a crown isn’t complicated and the end result is usually excellent, patients often wonder whether or not they’re getting plenty of bang for their buck when it comes to the longevity of a crown. The answer is, yes, a crown could potentially last a lifetime.
They do, however, sometimes become loose and can fall out and will need to be re-inserted, but your dentist won’t likely need to order a new crown when this happens.
One way to insure the life of your crown is to take good care of your teeth and mouth at all times. That includes not only brushing and flossing, but also avoiding foods that could harm or loosen your crown.
For example, chewing ice is never a good idea for those with crowns, and other extremely hard foods should be avoided as well.
In addition, patients should make regular trips to Dr. Mixson’s Brookhaven dental practice for check-ups and cleanings, all of which will also help preserve those crowns.
Need more info? Call Dr. Mixson’s office today for a consultation appointment.