Preparing and Installing Dental Crowns in Houston

Restoring damaged teeth can take many forms: fillings, replacing the tooth, or dental crowns.

Fillings are typically used when there is minimal damage to the tooth, or the concentration of damage is to the dental pulp inside (root canal).

Replacing the tooth entirely is commonly conducted when the tooth is knocked out and lost, or it has been damaged too severely by decay.

Somewhere in the middle of these two are dental crowns.

Dental crowns are often used when the upper portion of a tooth has been badly damaged by decay, but the rest of the tooth is still in good condition. The dental crowns are used in an effort to preserve as much of the original tooth as possible.

They are also used as anchor points for bridges.

Preparing a Crown

Getting a dental crown for a tooth typically takes two visits to your local Houston dentist. During the first visit, the teeth are cleaned and prepared for the eventual crown.

To prepare a tooth, it must be filed down to accommodate the crown sitting atop the tooth’s core.

The filing can be a lengthy process, depending on the type of tooth, the location of the tooth in the mouth, and the angle needed to access it.

Local anesthetics are used to reduce or eliminate any sensations felt during the filing process. Sedation dentistry may also be used to help the patient relax.

The tooth will be filed down on all sides, leaving a small nub that will hold the crown.

After the filing is complete, a mold is created of all the teeth in your mouth.

This mold helps the dental laboratory technicians see how all of your teeth fit together to create the proper size and shape crown.

Installing the Dental Crown

Once the tooth is prepared and the mold is taken, a temporary crown will be placed over the tooth to protect it. You won’t want to chew anything with this tooth right now.

After a few days, you’ll return to your Houston dentist and receive your newly furnished crown.

The dentist will carefully seat it atop your tooth, making sure it fits snugly, but not in such a way that it causes discomfort. The crown will be bonded to your tooth, making it permanent.

If adjustments need to be made, your dentist will have the lab remake the crown so that it fits perfectly, but in most cases, it will fit just right on the first installation.

Emergency Care

If a crown comes loose and falls out, that qualifies as an emergency dental situation. Finding a nearby dental office in Houston as quickly as possible will increase the chances of fixing the tooth without any additional work.

Centrally located dental offices, particularly in the Memorial Galleria area are easy to access and can provide emergency dental care should a dental crown fall out.

It’s also possible that a dental crown could crack. Metal crowns are very durable and should last quite a while, but crowns made from a composite resin or porcelain are more susceptible to breaking from strong bite forces.

It is recommended that you don’t install porcelain or composite crowns on your molars, as these teeth deal with the strongest bite forces. Metal dental crowns are best for the rear teeth.

Porcelain and composite resin crowns look more natural than metal ones, so they are best suited to the front teeth, as these teeth do not experience as high of a pressure.