Dental Crowns: An Introduction

By Author: The Maxfac Clinic
Total Articles: 9
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While being afraid to go to the dentist comes as second nature to most of us, it is an essential part of our medical regimens. There are several kinds of dental procedures that an individual may need, or none at all, depending on how well one takes care of their teeth. One of these procedures involves putting in something called a dental crowns - a layering placed above a damaged tooth to make it whole again. Let’s dive into more details about the same to understand the concept and procedure better.
What are dental crowns and why might I need one?
A dental crown is exactly what it sounds like - it’s a "crown" that’s placed on top of your damaged teeth. A "cap" in the shape of a tooth which is used to cover a tooth and restore its size, shape, strength, and appearance. The purpose is to make damaged and eroded teeth whole again by becoming the topmost layer of them. There are many reasons why your dentist may prescribe you a dental crowning procedure. The reasons can be medical or others - say, there’s a cavity in one of your teeth, or maybe you broke a tooth, and so on. Dental crowns are also commonplace ...
... after root canals.
Here are the scenarios where you might be asked to put in dental crowns by your dentist:
To cover up any deformities caused by a fracture, injury, cracks or implants
To help a healing tooth recover without causing it more damage
To improve appearance such as replacing the yellowing of teeth with a white crown
Types of dental crowns
Traditional dental crowns are meant to cover the entire tooth. The few other types that do not cover the entire tooth are called partial crowns. All advanced dental care clinics in South Mumbai and all other localities offer various types of crowns.
Traditional crowns: they cover your entire tooth
3/4 crowns: they cover only three-quarters of your tooth and are more suitable when the teeth are stronger, with a more solid make-up. This is a good option for people that are looking to make aesthetic improvements to their dental structure rather than for healing.
Inlays: they cover only the “biting surface” of your tooth, i.e. only the edge/topmost surface of your tooth.
Onlays: they’re similar to inlays, except that alongside the “biting surface” they also cover the cusps of the teeth as well as some of the sides.
Veneers: they are meant only for the front portion of the teeth, not for any other part o the teeth.
Based on the material
Dental crowns are such that they can be made of several materials. Sometimes they can be a mix of two or three materials, or they can purely consist of only one. Here’s a list of materials generally used to build dental crowns.
Porcelain & Ceramic: the colour of both materials is very similar to that of well-maintained, clean teeth, making the two the most natural-looking in this list. Dentists generally use porcelain or ceramic material for front teeth veneers. A downside is that although the material itself is durable, it quickly wears and tears the teeth around it that it touches.
Gold: ever seen gold teeth adorned by gangsters in movies? Well, it’s real, and it’s highly durable, making it the perfect option for replacing molars. The downside is that gold crowns must replace the tooth fully because of the nature of the metal.
Zirconium: another very durable material, it is super light but also very hard and durable, thus a great dental crown.
Resin: very easy to shape and takes the colour of the pigment provided. The only downside is that resin has quicker wear and tear.
Stainless Steel: Prefabricated stainless steel crowns are typically used on permanent teeth as a temporary solution. While a permanent crown is being created from a different material, the crown safeguards the tooth or filling.
Temporary versus Permanent: While most permanent crowns are typically made in a dental laboratory, temporary crowns can be made in your dentist's office. Temporary crowns, which serve as a restoration until a permanent crown is made in a lab, are typically made of stainless steel or an acrylic-based material.
Metals can often be mixed with materials like porcelain and ceramic for a stronger base with a more natural look to it.
Wrapping up
Putting in dental crowns is a significant procedure that is sometimes unavoidable. After your dentist picks the material and fits your mouth for a crown, you must come back to get the procedure done. It takes time, but it can help you heal or even give your teeth a better appearance.