The Types of Dental Crowns Your Dentist May Recommend

Dentists can recommend a wide variety of devices and treatments that can help fix or manage different dental woes. Whether you have cavities, gaps between your teeth, an abscess, or misaligned teeth, your trusted dental professional will have the proper training, knowledge, experience and tools to properly examine and assess your specific condition and identify the most ideal solution to relieve your pain or discomfort, restore the proper function of your teeth, and even improve the appearance of your smile.

If your dental problem is of a different sort — specifically, a damaged tooth or teeth — your dentist will most likely advise you to get a dental crown.

What is it?

A dental crown is a fixed prosthetic device that is cemented onto a damaged tooth. Also known as a cap, a dental crown is designed primarily to cover a damaged tooth. In addition, the crown helps strengthen the tooth, improve its alignment in the mouth, and enhance its appearance.

To create a permanent crown, the dentist will take an impression of the affected tooth. While that is being made, you can be fitted with a temporary one first.

Is there only one kind of dental crown?

There are actually four different types of dental crowns, each made from different materials and ideal for use in different situations.

Ceramic crowns are specifically made to restore front teeth. The color is similar to natural teeth, which is an important requirement for restoring the most visible teeth in your mouth. The material is porcelain-based.

Porcelain-fused to metal crowns offer a stronger bond than ceramic crowns because of their connection to a metal structure. As a result, this type of crown is also more durable.

Base metal alloys are composed of non-noble metals. These metals make very strong crowns because they are highly resistant to corrosion.

Gold alloys, contrary to their name, are not made purely of gold. They contain a combination of gold, copper and other metals. This is a good choice of crown because it does not fracture or cause damage to the tooth itself.

In general, gold and metal alloys can effectively resist wear without aggravating the surrounding teeth. Porcelain-based crowns, on the other hand, are also resistant to wear but can be susceptible damage if enough pressure is applied (lieke if you grind your teeth in your sleep); they can also cause some damage to opposing teeth.

With proper maintenance (which involves regular brushing, flossing, and visits to the dentist for cleaning and check-ups), your dental crowns can last a lifetime.

If you are looking for a good dentist in Sterling Heights, contact the professionals at Dental1Care today!