Questions About Tooth Crowns
Tooth crowns allow patients to maintain as much of their natural teeth as possible by adding strength and protection to seriously damaged teeth. By covering the entire tooth surface, a tooth crown can restore a damaged tooth to its original size and shape. At River Bluff Dental we have the expertise and state-of-the-art technology to cosmetically enhance your smile with tooth crowns.
What are tooth crowns?
Tooth crowns, or dental crowns, are also called “caps” because they essentially cover the entire tooth to provide additional strength to the tooth and aesthetic appeal.
Why are tooth crowns used?
Tooth crowns are used to correct a variety of dental situations, including:
- Broken or fractured teeth
- Severely decayed teeth
- Fractured fillings
- Large fillings
- Old metal fillings
- Tooth with a root canal
- Support a dental bridge
- Cover a dental implant
What types of tooth crowns are available?
Tooth crowns can be made of metal, such as gold, resin, porcelain or a combination of these. At River Bluff Dental, we incorporate all-porcelain tooth crowns into our patient’s smiles because they are highly durable and can be made to match the color, shape and size of your existing teeth.
How is a tooth prepared to receive a tooth crown?
In most cases the damaged tooth will need to be filed down slightly in order to make sufficient room for the tooth crown. When the tooth has been prepared, an impression is taken of the tooth so a custom made all-porcelain crown can be made. Many cosmetic dentists require the involvement of an outside dental laboratory to create the tooth crown.
At River Bluff Dental, we have the in-house technology to make your crown on-the-spot using the CEREC® 3 system. If you have the need for one or two tooth crowns, you can leave our office the same day with an enhance smile.
If more than two teeth will receive tooth crowns, it may be necessary to have the tooth crowns created in an outside dental laboratory. In these cases, we will provide you with a temporary tooth crown which will remain on the tooth until the permanent crown is fabricated. This process typically takes two weeks, at which point you will return to the office for a second visit to have the permanent tooth crowns fitted and attached.
If you have additional questions about how the tooth crown process works, please contact cosmetic dentist Dr. Walter Palmer in his Minneapolis, Minnesota dental office to schedule a consultation with the River Bluff Dental professional team.
