Crowns
While we all understand the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene, there are times when we may still get a cavity. This will hurt the surrounding teeth’s health, which is why you should immediately consider getting a crown or a cap. Cornelius Dental Clinic wants you to understand that this is a really simple form of dental restoration in which your tooth is completely encircled with a crown that’s held in place by some dental cement.
Crowns are typically used when you have a large cavity that threatens your tooth’s health. We like them not only for this reason but also because they’re easy to insert in your mouth if you have enough tooth left over to hold it in place. Sometimes we can use a filling material to build up a large chip in your tooth so you can have a crown under these circumstances too.
How Dental Crowns Work
The first thing we must do when you get dental crowns is made impressions of your teeth, so we have a model to work with. While this is uncomfortable, it isn’t painful, so don’t feel anxious or afraid. We’ll use a local anesthetic and numb up the tooth, we’re working on and the ones beside it, making sure that you won’t feel any pain as we prepare your mouth for your new crown. If you’re getting a crown directly after a root canal, you won’t receive any anesthesia because you’ll have already been given some before the start of your root canal. Regardless of when you receive anesthesia your tooth and surrounding gums may be somewhat sensitive for a little while afterward.
Getting a crown requires two appointments, both 30 – 60 minutes long. The first appointment is for preparing and shaping your tooth and taking an impression so we can prepare your crown. You’ll receive a temporary crown from wearing from now until your next appointment. The second appointment is when we place your permanent crown in your mouth.
How Long Dental Crowns Will Last
It’s important to understand that two types of crowns exist. The first is temporary crowns that only last long enough for you to receive your permanent crown from the dental lab. The second type is the ones we get from the dental lab and refer to as a permanent crown. Not only are these crowns really strong (able to easily withstand the normal force associated with chewing your food), they’re also aesthetically pleasing.
This isn’t to say that they might not pull away from your tooth for some reason, but if this happens, we can easily re-cement it into your mouth. As such, these permanent crowns can last for as many as five years, if you take proper care of them (e.g., brush twice daily, floss daily, and use mouthwash, have a routine dental checkup every six months).
If you feel you need a crown, make sure you call Cornelius Dental Clinic at (971) 317-9323. We have so many years of experience in helping people with crowns, you’ll be glad to have us on your side.