How Do I Know if I Need a Crown?

When people visit a cosmetic dentist and the dentist mentions the word “crown,” many probably think of a painful surgical procedure.

But that’s just cultural conditioning — we don’t usually understand complex dental processes, and we fear what we don’t understand.

The process of getting a crown is pretty painless. And a crown can save your teeth, if it’s the right procedure for you.

Get to know crowns and get over your fears! Read on…

What is a dental crown?

A dental crown refers to a tooth-shaped permanent covering on damaged teeth. The crown material can vary from metal, ceramic, resin, gold, metal fused to porcelain. Cosmetic dentists use crowns to restore the size, shape, strength, and appearance of a tooth.

Typically, we’ll place the crown over a dental implant or a tooth that undergoes a root canal. Below are four reasons you may need a dental crown:

1. You have Chipped Teeth

Crowns can take up the place of large cavities, which the standard filling materials cannot efficiently cover. Placing artificial material in the decayed part of a tooth can also strengthen the affected tooth. A crown is the ideal way to seal cracked teeth, strengthen fragile teeth, or protect a tooth that is at the risk of breaking.

2. Protection after a Root Canal Procedure

Root canal procedures involve the removal of nerves and pulp inside the tooth. Your doctor may recommend a root canal if there is excessive tooth decay, or you are at risk of an infection. Root canals remove the nerve within the tooth to eliminate pain or sensitivity, so it may be necessary to restore the weak tooth’s functions and ability to chew. This is often done by using a crown.

3. Improve the Aesthetic Appearance of Teeth

Crowns can restore smiles by covering discolored, brown, damaged, or small teeth. Modern crowns made of natural-looking composite resin or porcelain help teeth look more uniform and help create a more beautiful smile.

This is different from teeth whitening – read about that procedure here.

4. Crown Following Dental Implants

You may need crowns after getting dental implants, which are substitutes for missing teeth. The crown is placed above the implants.

A cosmetic dentist can also use a partial crown to replace a part of a tooth made of gold or tooth-colored ceramic. A full crown can be used to cover one or more teeth that have silver, gold, or ceramic material.

But a crown is not just something you pick up at the store. You do need an expert dentist to first examine and determine if a crown is right for you.

We can help make that determination with you. Contact Studio City Dental Center to make an appointment today to see how we can help you.