Dental crowns offer an ideal way to repair and protect damaged teeth. Your dentist in Raleigh, NC, Dr. Ashley Lloyd, uses these restorations to restore broken teeth and strengthen fragile ones. Read on to learn why.
How dental crowns work
Dental crowns look just like the top parts of natural teeth. If you closely examine the restorations, you'll notice that they're hollow inside. The design allows them to slip over your teeth, covering them completely on all four sides. Crowns are cemented on to your teeth and become a permanent part of your smile. Before you receive a crown, these three things will happen:
- Your tooth will be reduced in size at the Raleigh dental office: Decreasing the size of your tooth ensures that your new crown fits properly.
- Your dentist will make an impression of your mouth: The impression will allow the dental laboratory that creates your crown to create a custom restoration for you.
- You'll receive a temporary crown: The crown will protect your tooth until your permanent crown is ready, making it easier for you to speak and chew. It usually takes about two weeks for the dental laboratory to complete your permanent crown.
Why you may need a dental crown?
Dental crowns are often used to treat teeth that have become compromised, broken, or fractured. Adding a crown to your damaged tooth improves its appearance and restores its height, width, and chewing surfaces. Additionally, broken edges of teeth can be very painful if they're exposed to the air. Fortunately, adding a crown made of porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, ceramic, or resin eliminates your pain.
Crowns can help you avoid fractures in the future if your tooth is weak or cracked. Cracks don't have to be large or visible to increase the risk of a break. Any size crack can weaken the structural integrity of your tooth, making it more likely that it will crumble or break one day.
Teeth can also become fragile due to wear and tear or certain dental procedures. When a crown is added to a tooth, however, the crown absorbs biting forces, preventing your tooth from fracturing.
Need dental work? Give us a call
Dental crowns help you protect your smile! Are you concerned about a tooth? Call your dentist in Raleigh, NC, Dr. Lloyd, at (919) 828-1001 to schedule an appointment.