ARE DENTAL CROWNS LONG-LASTING DENTAL SOLUTIONS?

Dental accidents can happen anytime and to anyone. No one wishes for that to happen. Nevertheless, it happens anyways and accidents are unexpected events. The best thing to do is find a solution to resolve the dental problem. The good news is, there are various dental procedures put in place to solve different dental issues. For instance, if you have a cracked, broken, chipped, or misplaced tooth, getting dental caps is not a bad idea. However, people often question the durability of dental caps.

Dental caps or teeth crowns are restorative and cosmetic dental procedures used to cover and restore natural injured, broken, chipped, or lost teeth. They are tooth-shaped and are used to support a damaged tooth. They are also called restorative and cosmetic procedures because they rebuild the teeth and also beautify the appearance of your tooth and face especially the natural-looking dental crowns which look like a real tooth.

Dental crowns can also prevent tooth decay from penetrating deep into the tooth. Damage tooth is not caused by accidents alone. A person’s tooth can become injured by infections and tooth decay. When this happens, a person can undergo a root canal procedure to remove the decay and infections. Then a dental crown would be used to prevent further damages and also make the tooth stay firm.

How Much Tooth Is Needed For A Crown?

Dental caps are fixed to the existing damaged tooth or a misplaced tooth’ space. This often makes people ask wonder how much tooth is needed for a crown.

Before your dentist places a dental crown, they will use dental anesthetics to numb the area. At your request, they may also offer you varying levels of dental sedation. Once you have been adequately prepared for the procedure, your dentist will begin by removing any decayed tissue. The remaining tissue will then be shaped so that it can support a crown.

When a tooth is damaged by decay, the decayed tissues are removed and the remaining tissues are used to fix the dental cap to the tooth. However, the decay might have penetrated deep into the dental pulp. This means that a root canal treatment has to be performed to take out the infections that are deep inside the tooth. After that, the infected dental pulp will be extracted and then a “gutta percha” (a material that looks like rubber) will be applied to the tooth’ root. The gutta-percha serves as inner support for the surviving tooth structure and the dental cap as well.

Also, when there is an inadequate outer tooth structure to attach the dental cap to, the dentist can help by making the tooth with a composite resin. Composite resin is used for dental fillings and bindings. It is a dental substance that is added to the tooth. After it has been added to the outer or external tooth structure, it gives enough space for the dental cap to be attached.

A dental implant can also be used when there is no remaining tooth outside but the tooth’ root is intact. After the dental implant, an abutment is added to the missing tooth space before adding the dental cap. A dental cap is kind of vast procedure. They can be placed even if ¾ of your actual tooth is damaged, both inside and outside your tooth.

Is There An Alternative To Getting A Crown?

Your dentist will always find ways to restore your tooth either with a dental crown or any other procedure that deems fit.

If you don’t want a crown to be attached to your teeth or there are other reasons why a crown can’t be attached to your teeth. Do not panic, cause other dental procedures to serve as an alternative.

Dental filling: teeth fillings are not a bad idea for a patient who doesn’t want a crown attached to the tooth. The affected part of the tooth can be filled and in cases where the tooth is severely damaged, a full dental filling can be adopted. However, dental fillings might not last long as a dental crown.

Inlays/onlays: if you don’t like the idea of getting a crown, you can get inlays or onlays. They are also restorative procedures used to fix a broken or chipped tooth. Unlike dental crowns, inlays and onlays preserve more of the natural tooth.

Tooth Extraction: If the tooth is chipped or damaged by decay and infections, you can choose to fully extract the tooth and leave it like that for a while until you decide on what to do about the tooth.

What Happens When You Get A Crown?

Getting a crown can be very beneficial and it can also have its setbacks. After getting a crown, your teeth get a new appearance and can function better. Also, your teeth’ exposure to germs and infections is reduced. However, the tooth underneath the crown can get rotten over time if dental cap aftercare instructions are not carefully followed. Practicing good oral hygiene can help prevent that from happening. Also, fixing the crown when it is damaged will the existing tooth from rotting.

How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

With good and adequate maintenance, a dental cap can last for 15 years especially metal dental caps. Metal dental caps are resilient and hard to crack. However, inadequate maintenance can damage the crown and even be dangerous to your dental health.