Choosing a Dental Crown that Fits Your Life

When a tooth becomes damaged from an accident or decay, and a standard filling isn’t enough to save it, a dental crown may be the best option.

Many people feel self conscious about cavities and the need for fillings, and they may feel even less inclined to get a dental crown.

While some dental crowns are still made of metal, they are not the only option.

Choosing a Dental Crown in Houston

There are several options available for dental crowns in Houston. Their availability at your Houston dentist can vary based on the material, but in most cases they’ll all be present.

Dental crowns can be made from metal, resin, ceramic, and porcelain.

●     Metal Crowns
Metal crowns are usually created from gold alloy, which has been a standard crown for several centuries. Other metals that may be used include nickel, palladium, and chromium.

The type of metal used usually depends on if the patient has an allergy to a certain metal as well as the metal’s availability.

Additionally, temporary crowns (which you would get while a permanent one is constructed) are fashioned from stainless steel.

●     Resin Crowns
Resin crowns are very low cost and cause the least amount of wear to nearby teeth. However, they are also the least durable. They may require replacing once every few years instead of once every decade or two.

●     Porcelain and Ceramic Crowns
All-porcelain and all-ceramic crowns are made from a singular material and can be color matched to your teeth. These look and feel the most natural, but are often the most costly. However, they do provide a decent durability and can last upwards of 10 years.

●     Porcelain-Metal Crowns
As a middle-of-the-road option, porcelain fused to metal crowns provide a good cost/durability/appearance balance, and can still be color matched to your teeth. These are often the most popular option for getting dental crowns in Houston.

Why Should I get a Dental Crown?

Dental crowns do more than restore the look of your teeth. They can also restore the function of them.

A damaged tooth that has been chipped, fractured, or decayed may be painful to bite, chew, or drink with. Even a simple probing with your own tongue can be enough to shoot a lance op pain through your mouth.

With a dental crown, your Houston dentist gives you the ability to restore your smile and ability to drink and eat like you did before the tooth became a problem.

Dental crowns restore the shape and appearance of a tooth along with much of its strength. Metal crowns provide greater durability, which is perfect for molars.

On the other hand, porcelain and ceramic crowns can look like real teeth, making them especially suited for the more visible front teeth.

How Are Dental Crowns Applied?

First, your Houston dentist in Tanglewood area will prepare the tooth receiving the crown by filing it down.

While the crown acts like a real crown in that it fits over your existing tooth, it won’t fit over the whole tooth.

By filing it down, the crown will be able to match the size and shape of your original tooth.

A mold is created to show the dental lab what area they have to work with and how to shape the dental crown.

Once the new crown is completed, you will return to your Houston dentist to have it installed. The dentist will make sure that it fits securely and snugly, and once it does, it is cemented into place.