When Is a Dental Crown Necessary?

Dental crowns have been around for a very long time; about the only thing that has changed about them is the material used to fabricate a crown. Your dentist may recommend a dental crown for  multiple reasons including:

Deep dental decay – when a tooth has already been treated for a cavity or decay is so deep that drilling away the decay is likely to result in a broken tooth, a dental crown may be recommended. For treating a tooth that is not already broken, your dentist may recommend an onlay or inlay crown depending on the need to treat the tooth.

A broken tooth – When a tooth breaks, the options for treatment are to crown the tooth or extract. Saving the tooth whenever possible is always a better option as once a tooth has been extracted some type of prosthesis must be fabricated to restore tooth loss. Some complications that can arise from tooth loss that is not replaced include remaining teeth shifting to the open spot; bone loss in gum tissue where tooth loss has occurred; and aesthetics if the missing tooth is in the smile line.

Complete endodontic therapy – When the nerve of the tooth has experienced some type of trauma or infection, and the need for a root canal occurs to save the tooth, an entry point is drilled into the tooth to remove the contents of the tooth’s root canals. The final step in the root canal process is to seal that opening, and a dental crown is most often used.

As anchors for some type of fixed dental prosthesis – a fixed bridge is made by crowning the abutment teeth and adding pontics (false teeth) to the bridge as needed. The crowns are cemented in place and a bridge can be permanently placed.

To complete a dental implant – When tooth loss has occurred and the patient is seeking to restore that loss with the most natural means possible, a dental implant can be placed. In this procedure, a small titanium post is embedded in gum tissue where tooth loss has occurred. As the surgical area heals, bone fuses to the implant to form a strong supportive structure for the restoration that will eventually cover it (a dental crown).

Today many crowns are made from porcelain that provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance, are naturally stain resistant, and are strong and durable. To learn more about dental crowns, call our office today!