Dental crowns have been used in multiple applications for decades. Materials have changed and the appearance of those restorations has improved. Millions of teeth have been saved employing dental crowns, but they are used for more than just covering a decayed or broken tooth.
Metals were the primary base for crowns until the discovery that porcelain could do the job with a more aesthetically appealing solution. Porcelain is stain resistant and durable making it the leading choice for many crown applications.
Salvage a broken tooth – while many patients believe it is more prudent to just extract a broken or decayed tooth, if it can be saved with a crown that is a much better solution. Once a biological tooth is removed, it either needs to be substituted or the patient must deal with the possibility of remaining teeth shifting toward the open spot; dealing with chewing difficulties; and appearance issues for teeth lost in the smile line.
Another tooth saving procedure involves endodontic therapy (a root canal). When the nerve of a tooth is impacted due to trauma or infection, the roots of the tooth need to be purged of their contents. During a root canal, the treated tooth is opened with an access point and endodontic files are used to extract the nerve, pulp, and infectious material from the roots of the tooth. The other option to root canal therapy is to pull the tooth.
Once the root canal is completed, the access point needs to be sealed. A dental crown provides the ideal final step for this procedure.
Other applications for dental crowns include using them as abutments for fixed bridges. When tooth loss does occur, a bridge can be used by crowning both sides around lost teeth. The center teeth of the bridge are called pontics. A bridge provides a wonderful solution; but for a result that is closest to having your own natural teeth back, dental implants may be selected.
A dental implant is a tiny titanium post that is surgically placed in gum tissue where tooth loss has occurred; as healing occurs, bone is merging with the post to provide a stable and secure foundation for the final restoration – a dental crown – that has been made to match surrounding natural teeth making this procedure undetectable.
Your dentist can resolve many dentition problems using dental crowns. Contact us today at the office of Dr. Buchanan to set up a consultation!
