2 APPOINTMENTS NEEDED
Dental crowns: also referred to as “dental caps,” “tooth crowns,” or “tooth caps,” crowns are fixed prosthetic devices that are cemented onto existing teeth or implants by a dentist or prosthodontist. In addition to strengthening a damaged tooth, crowns can be used to improve a tooth’s appearance, shape, alignment and dental occlusion (bite). Gaps left by missing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to shift, which can result in a bad bite. Crowns help prevent this from happening. Crowns cover most of the exposed portion of your tooth and decay does not affect a crown since it is made of metal and /or porcelain. However, where the natural tooth meets the crown can become decayed.
Process
the procedure for installing a dental crown normally takes two separate dentist visits.
- At your first appointment, our dentist will examine the tooth to make sure that it can support a crown, then begin filing it down to prepare for the crown. Alternatively, if the tooth is severely damaged or broken, our dentist may need to fill it in to make it large enough to properly receive the crown.
- After the tooth is filed or filled to the proper shape, our practitioner will take an impression of the tooth, as well as those surrounding it, and send it away to our dental lab, so the permanent crown can be made accordingly. By the end of this first visit, your tooth will have a new temporary crown that protects it until the final crown is ready to be permanently placed.
- When the permanent crown is ready, you will have your second visit. At this appointment, the temporary crown is removed, after which our dentist will position and fasten the new crown to the tooth with a special adhesive.
- At amazing dental care, we schedule next day appointments for patients who provide their own transportation and remain in the yuma area overnight. For those patients who rely on our transportation from the valley, we normally schedule non-consecutive days of travel. We have found that this approach significantly reduces the length of day for our drivers, making the entire operation much safer for everyone involved.
Zirconia
- Zirconia (zirconium oxide) is a white powdered metal used to create dental frameworks for crowns, bridges and other dental substructures. It creates the appearance of a whiter more translucent tooth and is transparent in x-rays. Zirconia has been in use in cosmetic dentistry for many years to achieve the most aesthetic result possible but has more recently become widely accepted as the dental material of choice. A zirconia crown is strong enough for molars and maintains sufficient cosmetics for front teeth.
Advantages of Zirconia
- Zirconia crowns can be translucent enough to blend with other teeth and give a natural look. What’s more, if bonded to the teeth rather than being cemented with conventional dental cement, these crowns won’t display a black line at the gum line.
- Strength: where porcelain crowns are prone to chipping, zirconia crowns are almost indestructible.
- Durability: crowns made of zirconia are likely to last a lifetime.
- Less sacrifice of healthy tooth: since zirconia crowns can offer superior strength in less volume than crowns made of other materials, they can be made to fit even when not much space is available for porcelain build up.
- Biocompatible: zirconia is completely compatible to human body. Since it is inert, and the body does not reject zirconia, you need not worry about facing allergies or unfavorable reactions.
- Corrosion resistant: zirconia crowns are resistant to corrosion, which adds to their longevity factor.
Disadvantages
- Abrasive effect: the toughness of zirconia crowns can have an abrasive quality, which causes friction against the root of the affected tooth as well as with other teeth.
- Decay under the crown: though these crowns are meant to last a lifetime, the decay underneath the crown my cause them to loosen and fall.
Adjustment period: it is okay for the crown to feel a little out of place for a few days after cementing. This is because the teeth around this area are adjusting to new forces both in between the teeth and upon biting.
Preventive procedures: to provide optimum longevity for your restorations and to prevent future decay and supporting-tissue breakdown, please use the following home care tips:
- Brush after eating and before bedtime around the crown with a soft toothbrush, especially where the crown meets the gum line. At this gum line harmful bacteria can be harbored to cause decay and gum disease. An electric toothbrush is highly recommended over manual to help you keep this area clean.
- If you do not control the buildup of food debris and plaque your teeth and gums can become infected.
- Water pik™ can be used with an antibacterial, alcohol free mouthwash like prescribed mouthwash at the gum line to keep this area healthy
- Chewing: do not chew hard foods on the restorations for 24 hours from the time they were cemented—to attain optimum strength, the cement must mature for approximately 24 hours also avoid eating or chewing on hard objects, hard food, nails, hard candy or ice.
- Avoid sticky treats like: caramels, taffy, gummy bears, caramels, saltwater taffy, swedish fish, jelly beans, hard gum and other sticky candy.
- Limit snacks, if high in sugar brush this area or swish with water
- Remember tobacco, coffee, blueberries and tea may stain the crown
- Sensitivity: do not worry about mild sensitivity to hot or cold foods. This sensitivity will disappear gradually over a few weeks. Infrequently, sensitivity last longer than six weeks.
Problems – call us if any one of these conditions occurs:
- If the tooth is the first tooth to hit when you bite down after a couple of days, contact us for an adjustment.
- If you experience a feeling of movement or looseness in the restoration.
- If the crown becomes sensitivity to sweet foods or it develops a peculiar taste from the restoration site.
- If you experience breakage of a piece of material from the restoration or sensitivity to pressure.
- If a crowned tooth develops the need for a root canal procedure after a crown restoration.