You deserve a smile that you are proud to show off and restorative dentistry can help. Restorative dental treatments aim to treat oral health conditions or fix problems with your teeth. Dental crowns are one example of the restorative services we offer at Skyline Dental. We work with you to make sure your crown fits perfectly and looks natural.
More information about dental crowns:
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a cap that covers a single tooth or a dental implant by fully encasing the area above your gum line. It can protect a weak tooth, restore a broken or damaged tooth, cover a misshapen or discolored tooth, secure a dental bridge, cover an implant, or to make other cosmetic and restorative modifications to your smile.
Permanent crowns are made from stainless steel, other metal alloys, resin, porcelain fused to metal, or porcelain alone. At Skyline Dental, we use porcelain (ceramic) crowns. These have the most natural color and can be used for front and back teeth.
Placing a Dental Crown
The process of placing a dental crown is different depending on whether it is covering a natural tooth or a dental implant.
Covering a Natural Tooth
If the crown is covering a broken, decayed, or otherwise damaged natural tooth, then the first step is to examine the tooth and prepare it for the dental crown. Your dentist may take X-rays or take other steps to ensure the root of the tooth is healthy enough for this procedure.
The dentist will then reshape your tooth so that it will be able to support the crown. In some cases, this means removing part of your natural tooth. If a large portion of your tooth is missing due to decay or other damage, the dentist may need to add a large filling to build the tooth up for the crown.
After shaping the tooth, the dentist will take an impression and send it to a dental laboratory. At the lab, they will make the porcelain crown using material that closely matches the color of your other teeth. This process takes a few weeks. During that time, you will have a temporary crown to protect your tooth.
When you return, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and will confirm that the permanent crown looks the way you would like. If you are happy with the crown, the dentist will secure it to your natural tooth using dental cement.
Covering a Dental Implant
If your tooth has been removed due to decay or injury, you may have a dental implant in its place. This is a metal post that extends into your jaw like a natural tooth root. To attach a dental crown to an implant, it is necessary to use an abutment. This connects the visible portion of the crown to the portion of the implant that lies below your gum line. The crown is cemented to the abutment, not the implant, and this is connected to the implant with an abutment screw.
Restore Your Smile at Skyline Dental
It is our goal to help you get a smile you will love. Dental crowns are one way that we can achieve this. They can cover damaged teeth or, when paired with dental implants, replace missing teeth to restore your smile.