When you hear the word crown you might picture the ring worn on the head of a royal, but dental crowns can be better described as helmets rather than crowns. After all, they are fitted over the remainder of a natural tooth, offering it complete protection from any further injury, decay or harm. Patients of Old Milton Dental in Alpharetta, GA can turn to dental crowns for many different dental issues.
When Are Dental Crowns Recommended?
There are a lot of reasons that a patient may hear from their dentist that a dental crown is the right solution. The following issues may lead to the use of dental crowns:
- Overly large fillings being replaced or created may benefit from dental crowns instead
- A dental implant is usually topped with a crown
- Root canals are topped with dental crowns
- Severely weakened or cracked teeth benefit from crowns
- Dental restorations usually rely on crowns
Clearly, a crown is going to reinforce and protect, but also provide many years of function. They are usually made of durable porcelain and crafted to look entirely natural, which is why they are a common cosmetic treatment too. However, they may also be made of other materials, and this is an issue to discuss with your dentist when you are preparing to have crowns placed in your mouth.
Though you may be having nothing more than a dental filling, a crown may be part of the treatment because too much of the tooth has to be removed to eliminate decay or because the area removed has weakened the strength of the tooth.
Keep in mind that crowns are made specifically for the patient. That means your crowns are matched to your natural teeth and custom made to look just like the original tooth. The crown fits perfectly within the original space, is set to allow the natural bite, and to function just as a natural tooth would function. This is why it is important to work only with a dentist experienced with dental crowns.
Are Dental Crowns Difficult to Maintain?
Natural teeth and dental crowns generally receive the same treatment. You will want to have an annual cleaning (though twice yearly is best) and checkup, and allow your dentist to examine the crown for any signs of trouble. Other than that, regular flossing and brushing will suffice.
Contact our dental office at (678) 624-0370 in Alpharetta to schedule an appointment with our dentists for dental crowns.