Warning Signs that You Have an Abscess
An abscess warns you about an infection, but what warns you about an abscess? If you miss these signs of an abscess you may be neglecting a serious oral health problem.
The Many Roles of Dental Crowns
Dental crowns have been around for a long time, but you shouldn’t take them for granted. These multitasking dental workhorses address several common oral health issues and may be the perfect solution to your teeth problems.
Dr. Hannah Baek and the team at Healthy Smile Dental in Woodridge, Illinois, we use dental crowns to resolve several issues, often to our patients’ surprise. Here, Dr. Baek explains the various functions of dental crowns and why you might need one.
Dental crowns 101
Think of a dental crown like a jacket or cap that covers your existing tooth. Dental crowns aim to restore your tooth’s strength, shape, and appearance by covering a damaged tooth. Dental crowns come in several different materials, such as ceramic, metal, resin, or a combination, but Dr. Baek uses porcelain crowns exclusively because they reflect light just like real teeth, so they look most natural.
Before you receive a crown, Dr. Baek prepares your tooth by filing down the surface to make room for the thickness of the crown. She reshapes your natural tooth and builds up places that may be missing.
She sends the images to a lab where trained specialists design a custom crown that hugs the unique contours of your tooth. We place a temporary crown to get you by until your permanent crown is complete. When the final crown is ready, you return for a second appointment, and Dr. Baek cements the permanent crown in place.
What can dental crowns do?
Some dental treatments are one-trick ponies, but crowns wear several hats. Here’s a look at some of their many roles.
Cover a tooth with a large filling
Large fillings can destabilize your tooth after years of biting force. Over time, the pressure on the oversized filling creates cracks, fractures, inflammation, and pain. A crown covers the tooth, seals out bacteria, and prevents further damage.
Protect a decaying tooth
Decay weakens your teeth from within and puts them at risk for breaks and cracks. Crowns reinforce the tooth’s structural integrity.
Restore worn teeth
Teeth grinding, also called bruxism, wears your teeth down over time, exposing the dentin layer below, creating tooth sensitivity, and compromising the structure. Crowns provide a fresh, new surface.
Reshape teeth
Some people are born with teeth that are oddly shaped or sized. You may have one tooth that looks too small or pointy compared with the others. Dental crowns can make you look like you were born with flawless teeth.
Seal a root canal
When tooth decay invades the inner pulp of your tooth, a root canal cleans out the infection and removes the soft tissue. The procedure requires a hole in the top of your tooth to access the pulp. After the root canal, we place a crown over the tooth to seal the hole and reinforce the tooth.
Hold a bridge in place
Dental bridges are great options for replacing lost teeth, but they need sturdy neighboring teeth to hold them in place. Crowns on the adjacent teeth give your bridge a stronghold.
Top off a dental implant
Dental implants permanently replace a missing tooth and don’t need to anchor to neighboring teeth. But they do need a crown to top off the titanium post attached to your jawbone.
Do you have a tooth issue that can benefit from a dental crown? Contact us online or by phone to consult Dr. Baek and determine if a dental crown is right for you.
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