What is a Dental Crown?

We get this question asked so much at our office that a blog post was certainly in order.

A crown or “dental cap” is a material that wraps around your own tooth to protect if from wearing down any further. The cap restores the natural anatomy of the tooth to its normal shape, and size so that you can once again function with that tooth. A crown can make the tooth stronger, and at the same time improve the cosmetic appearance of that tooth.

Reasons Why You May Need A Dental Crown:

• Your tooth may have a cavity that is very large
• A tooth that is cracked or is wearing down
• You have had root canal treatment (these teeth become very fragile and have a high chance of fracturing). The crown will protect these teeth. This is why you see a lot dentists recommending to place a dental cap after root canal treatment.
• You want to cosmetically cover a tooth that is fractured or stained.
• Teeth with very large fillings are susceptible to fracture and are recommended to be crowned.

What Is A Dental Crown Made Of?

There are many different materials that a crown can be made out of.

1. Porcelain Crowns
2. Porcelain fused to metal Crowns
3. Composite resin
4. Gold
5. Other Ceramics like Zirconia

Porcelain and ceramics are the same materials that are used to construct dental veneers (porcelain veneers), and dental bridges.

Dr. Jasmine wants your crown to look natural and fit comfortably in your mouth. To decide which material we will use for your crown, Dr. Jasmine will consider many factors, such as:

• A tooth’s location and function inside of your mouth
• The location of your gums
• Your preference
• The amount of the tooth that shows when you smile as big as you can
• The color or shade of the tooth

What Are The Steps In Making A Dental Crown?

1. Dr. Jasmine numbs the existing tooth whether its natural tooth or a damaged tooth
2. She then prepares the natural tooth structure by shaping it using a dental hand piece
3. The prepared tooth is then made ready for a dental impression
4. An impression is taken
5. This impression is sent to our dental laboratory who makes your permanent crown
6. A temporary crown is placed for a few weeks while the permanent one is being made ready by the lab
7. Once the crown is ready it is sent back to our clinic
8. The temporary cover or cap is now replaced with the permanent crown that looks like your own natural teeth
9. The cap is cemented in permanently and is now non-removable

Dental crowns are also placed on top of dental implants if its the implant that is being restored.

These are the steps that are needed to make your dental crown. The key now is to make sure that you take good care of it! Brushing and flossing are essential to preserve the longevity of the dental crown. We tell our patients its similar to having heart surgery and then deciding you can eat whatever you wants afterwards. The body will not tolerate that, and neither will your tooth if you neglect it.

Will Dental Insurance Cover My Dental Crown?

Dental insurance will most times cover a certain percentage of the treatment depending on the plan. During your consultation appointment we will let you know what percentage of the crown will be covered and what your out of pocket expense will be.

As you can see it takes only two total dental visits to receive your permanent crown. These are the steps of the dental crown procedure. We encourage you to visit our office if you feel you are in need of a dental crown in Houston. You can also schedule a consultation with cosmetic dentist Dr. Jasmine by contacting us today by phone or email.