Dental crowns are caps designed to cover and protect damaged teeth. They are typically used when fillings fail to offer sufficient protection, serving to safeguard, cover, and restore the shape of your teeth. Dental crowns can be made from various materials including metals, porcelain, resin, and ceramics. Generally, maintaining dental crowns involves routine, thorough oral hygiene practices, as they do not require any special care beyond what is recommended for natural teeth.

Suitable for

  • Severely Damaged Teeth: Patients with teeth that are abraded, worn, cracked, or severely decayed.
  • Beyond Minimal Treatment: Patients whose teeth cannot be restored with minimal treatments, such as small cavities that would typically be suitable for composite restorations.
  • Structural and Aesthetic Concerns: Patients experiencing loss of tooth structure, crowding, or discolored teeth.

Treatment Process

  • Tooth Preparation: The preparation of your existing teeth for crowns can take between 1 to 4 hours, depending on the complexity of the treatment.
  • Temporary Restoration: A temporary restoration will be inserted immediately after the preparation of your teeth.
  • Crown Production: The prosthodontist will fabricate the final crown within a timeframe of 2 to 7 days.

Recovery Time

  • Irritation and Healing: The preparation for a dental crown may irritate your teeth and surrounding structures, with healing typically taking a few days.
  • Initial Sensitivity: Patients may experience initial sensitivity, discomfort, or pain following the procedure; however, these symptoms should decrease and disappear within a few days.
  • Multiple Appointments: Dental crown treatment requires more than one appointment.
  • Temporary Crown: A temporary crown will be necessary between appointments to protect the tooth tissue and maintain the health of the gums.

After Care

The post-treatment aftercare for a dental crown includes several important steps to ensure proper healing and maintenance:

  • Daily Oral Hygiene: It is crucial to brush and floss daily, treating the crown as you would your natural teeth to maintain both the health of the crown and your overall oral hygiene.
  • Managing Sensitivity: You may experience sensitivity in your teeth and gums for the first few days after the procedure. This is normal and typically diminishes over time.

Adhering to these aftercare instructions can help extend the life of your crown and maintain your oral health.

FAQ

What are the potential risks and side effects?

  • Sensitivity: It’s common to experience increased sensitivity to heat and cold after a crown is placed.
  • Risk of Breakage: Crowns can break due to teeth grinding or a hard impact.
  • Longevity: On average, dental crowns should remain in place for 5-15 years.
  • Survival Rates: The survival rate for dental crowns is approximately 94% at 8 years and 75% at 18 years.

What types of crowns are available?

  • All-Ceramic Crowns: Ideal for patients who desire a crown that completely matches their natural teeth. Made entirely of ceramic, modern porcelain crowns can be precisely color-matched to blend seamlessly with the patient’s existing teeth. These crowns often feature a thicker layer of translucent porcelain, giving them a natural-looking gloss and shine that mimics real tooth enamel.
  • Zirconia Crowns: Known for their strength, durability, and long-lasting quality, zirconia crowns are made from a type of white ceramic that is currently the strongest material used in dentistry. Due to its extreme hardness, zirconia requires specialized processing using computer-aided design (CAD) or computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) systems. The aesthetic appearance is enhanced by layering porcelain over the zirconia, allowing for precise color and shape matching. Zirconia is highly favored for its durability and good biocompatibility.
  • Ceramic-Metal Crowns: These crowns combine a metal substructure with a ceramic overlay, providing both strength and a natural appearance. Known as porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns, they offer a durable solution and have been widely used despite a decline in popularity in recent years. This type of crown remains extensively utilized for its toughness and effective aesthetic results.
INTERNATIONAL PATIENT