What Are Dental Crowns?

Dental CrownsNeed crowns from your River Forest, IL, dentist?

A dental crown is made out of porcelain or ceramic. Unlike veneers, crowns don't cover only the front surface of your teeth. They're caps that fit over the unattractive, decayed, or damaged tooth. Crowns can replace a missing tooth when one of your River Forest, IL, dentist installs a dental bridge over your gums.

What do dental crown installations consist of?

There are three steps to getting your unsightly tooth capped:

Step 1: Your dentist will numb the area surrounding the tooth and begin preparing the tooth. This is done to reshape the tooth so it fits under the crown.

Step 2: A crown is designed at a laboratory using impressions taken of your teeth. The impressions are taken digitally or with the use of a putty-like material and are used as a guide so that laboratory technicians can mold a crown that'll fit perfectly over your tooth.

Step 3: The permanent crown is cemented over the tooth using a specific type of cement or resin.

What are the advantages of crowns?

Besides making your smile more aesthetically pleasing, crowns have other advantages:

  • They're used to cover restorative procedures such as root canals and dental implants.
  • Crowns also support fillings that have been dislocated.
  • Several crowns can be used if you have more than one tooth that needs to be covered.
  • They give your teeth reinforcement, therefore improving your bite and capability to chew.

How do people take care of crowns?

Improve your dental care by brushing twice a day and flossing at least once before bed. In addition to maintaining a healthy oral regimen, make sure to visit your dentists twice a year for your bi-annual examination.

For more information on dental crowns or to schedule an appointment, contact your River Forest, IL, dentist, Dr. Gina Piccioni by calling their office at (708) 366-6760.