Dental Crowns – A Few Facts
Dental crowns are an excellent way to get a beautiful smile. A dental crown is a cap shaped like a tooth. It covers a tooth to improve its appearance or to restore its strength, shape and size. The cap covers the visible part of the tooth, and it is almost impossible to detect.
Why is it a dental crown?
Your tooth consists of two parts – the crown and the root. The root of the tooth is the part that your gum and bone covers. The clinical crown is the part of the tooth that is visible. When a tooth has damage, a cap may be in order to repair the damage. The cap that covers a clinical crown is a dental crown.
You might need a dental crown if…
- Your tooth requires a large filling because of a cavity or crack that is at least half the size of the tooth. A crown will help support the tooth against stress and cracks around the large filling.
- You had a root canal, which means the tooth is now hollow and prone to cracking. A root canal tooth always needs dental crown support to prevent it from cracking.
- You have pain when chewing because of cracked tooth syndrome. This condition causes pain when chewing because it produces stress on fracture lines. A dental crown supports the tooth and correctly redistributes stress throughout the tooth. The dentist will start with a temporary dental crown, just to make sure the pain stops.
- Your teeth are unattractive. A dental crown can change the shape or color of a tooth, making it appear more attractive but natural. Large gaps or spaces between the teeth are repairable with a dental crown as well.
A dental crown may prove beneficial in several cases. The ones listed above are the most common.
A dental crown covers your tooth and does not replace the tooth. That means you must still practice good hygiene. The dental crown does not protect the underlying tooth from gum disease or decay. It is advisable to regularly brush and floss, paying close attention to the crown area.
Would you like to know if a dental crown is right for you? Contact the dentists at Dr. Aki Shirakura & Associates for a consultation.