How to Choose the Best Dental Crowns in Houston

Dental crowns can serve a variety of purposes both cosmetic and practical. Cosmetically, they can restore the look of natural teeth after one or more have become damaged. Practically, they can restore function of damaged teeth.

A dental crown generally takes two visits to the dentist to install. The first visit prepares the tooth while the second visit actually installs it.

Practical and Cosmetic Restoration with Dental Crowns in Houston

Most times, someone will get a dental crown to restore their bite, perhaps because it has become painful to apply pressure to the tooth.

Crowns can be used to fix teeth that have been severely damaged by decay or a fracture. When a tooth requires a feeling that is too much for what’s left of the tooth, a crown can be used to strengthen and secure it.

If a patient is getting a dental bridge to replace a lost tooth, dental crowns are used as anchors on the teeth adjacent to the gap.

Even if the damage is not so severe that it requires a dental crown for support and strength, they can be used to improve the appearance of teeth. Certain materials like porcelain and resin can be color matched to the other teeth for a natural look.

Balancing Strength with Appearance

An important aspect to consider when getting dental crowns is the location and function of the tooth being repaired.

Teeth toward the back, like molars, are subjected to high pressures for chewing. This is why most often a molar will be the tooth to fracture.

Teeth toward the front, such as incisors and canines aren’t subjected to the same forces, but they do need to be durable.

Regardless of their location, the proximity of a tooth to be repaired to adjacent teeth must also be considered.

●     Generally speaking, molar crowns should be constructed from metal, including gold, palladium, nickel, or chromium.

●     The type of metal used may vary based on its price point or any allergies the patient has.

The reason these teeth should have metal crowns is that these crowns are the most durable. They can more easily withstand the pressures of chewing.

●     Due to their forefront location, front teeth are most often covered with porcelain, resin, or porcelain-metal crowns.

These teeth are more visible, so patients tend to go for a more natural look. These materials can be color matched to the patient’s teeth for a natural appearance.

●     Teeth that sit in close proximity to adjacent teeth to the point where they touch may affect material choice.

Resin crowns produce the least amount of wear on nearby teeth, so they will prolong the health of your natural teeth better. However, they will also wear themselves out more quickly than any other material.

All porcelain and all ceramic crowns are more durable than resin, but they are still much less durable than metal or even metal-porcelain hybrids. These crowns are also more prone to fractures, which is why it is not advised to get them for molars.

Proper care of dental crowns will prolong their lifespan, helping you get the most out of them. Be sure that your new crown is comfortable before leaving the dental office as well.

If a crown isn’t set properly, it can cause problems like infections. A well set crown will seamlessly be sealed to the host tooth, and will feel like any other tooth. If it isn’t comfortable, let the dentist know so it can be adjusted or a new one can be fashioned.

Bring Back your Smile with a Dental Crown in Houston

Tooth decay can lead to tooth pain, lowered self-esteem, and other issues if not addressed. When tooth decay becomes bad enough, visible damage to the tooth will become apparent and it can make the patient self-conscious about the appearance of their teeth, or worse, reduce their functionality.

No one likes to be in pain while eating food or drinking their favorite cold beverage. With dental crowns, you can restore the functionality and appearance of your teeth and bring back your smile.

Restoring Your Bite and Smile

There are many cases for getting a dental crown, also known as a cap, for a damaged tooth.

Among the top reasons is tooth pain, inability to use the tooth, and cosmetic reasons. Decay and fractures cause teeth to become unsightly or even painful, but a well-fitted crown will restore function, shape, and color to your teeth.

Procedure to Install a Dental Crown

It typically takes two visits to the dentist to get a crown installed.

●     The first visit prepares the tooth receiving the crown

●     The second visit installs the dental crown.

It’s rare that a third visit or beyond is necessary, but it can happen if the crown does not sit properly.

On the first visit, a mold is taken of the area of your mouth where the crown will be placed. This mold will provide the laboratory with an exact replica of your mouth, so they can shape the new crown to look exactly like the tooth it is repairing.

After the mold is formed, the tooth to be crowned gets filed down. The filing removes the enamel down to the dentin, providing a space for the crown to be placed.

Once the tooth has been filed down, it needs to be protected until the permanent crown can be installed. This can take up to a few weeks, so the protection is crucial to prevent damage to the exposed dentin.

To accomplish this, a temporary crown constructed of prefabricated stainless steel is installed over the tooth. This temporary crown will protect the tooth from day to day wear, but it is best not to use the tooth as if it were completely normal.

The mold that was taken of your mouth goes to a laboratory where a dental technician will construct a cap that matches the shape of your old tooth and can be easily accommodated by the space around it.

The crown can be made from one of several materials, depending on the tooth’s location and the primary purpose of the crown, whether it’s to restore function or appearance.

Dental Crown Materials

●     Most often, metal crowns are used for molars (back) teeth. The metal crown might not be the prettiest, but it is very durable and is made to reduce wear on adjacent teeth.

●     Porcelain and metal hybrid crowns can be color matched to the teeth, making them look natural, but they increase wear on nearby teeth.

●     Resin crowns cause very little wear on nearby teeth but tend to wear out themselves very quickly.

●     Lastly, all porcelain crowns look very natural, mimicking the appearance of teeth almost perfectly, but they are not as durable as a metal or metal hybrid crown.

After the crown has been furnished, you will return to our Memorial dentist office to have it installed. The dentist will remove the temporary crown and carefully install the permanent crown, sealing it around the dentin of the original tooth.

Making sure the dental crown fits snuggly and does not interfere with adjacent teeth is paramount to prolong its own life and the life of nearby teeth.

Save your Teeth and Revive your Smile with Houston Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are an extremely common method of teeth restoration. They are typically applied to teeth that have been damaged by decay or an accidental chip or crack in a tooth.

Crowns are an affordable method to restore your smile and make your teeth shine.

They are applied to the tops of teeth, just like a beautiful crown for your head. But this crown does more than look good; it can help restore the ability to bite and chew food.

Improving the Quality of Teeth

Teeth can become damaged by decay through lack of oral hygiene, but they can also chip or break as a result of biting down on something very hard or from accidental head trauma.

All of these possibilities can compromise the integrity and strength of your teeth.

By installing a crown, you are greatly strengthening and restoring these damaged teeth while still maintaining much of the original tooth structure.

Think of it like remodeling a house. You remove some of the existing structure to put in newer, more durable materials while still keeping the core of the house intact.

Durable Materials, Stronger Teeth

Because crowns are designed to restore function as well as appearance, they need to be strong to prevent breaking. Crowns can be made from metal, porcelain, or composite resins, which are all durable, but to varying degrees.

Composite resins are the most affordable, but the least durable.

Metal crowns are highly durable, but more noticeable.

Porcelain crowns look very natural, and are moderately durable.

When well taken care of, metal and porcelain crowns can last over a decade, but it is important to keep tabs on them with regular dental visits. These can potentially damage nearby teeth. Resin crowns rarely cause issue with adjacent teeth, but they need to be replaced more often.

It is recommended to use metal crowns for molars, since they are less noticeable teeth to begin with and also handle the strongest bite forces. Porcelain crowns are perfect for front teeth and incisors, as they are easily visible and will look natural, but they also don’t handle as much bite force.

Regardless of your material choice, dental crowns are designed to handle high pressures and the rigors of eating, chewing, drinking, and speaking. Porcelain dental crowns look especially natural and will blend perfectly with your own teeth for a seamless appearance.