Article
Dental Restoration
A dentist might recommend placing a dental to restore a
tooth to its original shape, to strengthen a tooth or to improve the cosmetic
appearance of a tooth.
Crowns
are used for dental
restoration, which fully cover the portion of a tooth that lies above the gum
line. Fillings on the other hand are dental restorations that fill in or cover
over just a portion of a tooth. Since dental crownsencase the entire visible
portion of a tooth, a dental crown becomes the tooth's new outer surface.
Crowns or dental caps are made out of
porcelain, metal (a gold or other metal alloy), or a combination of both.
A dental crown
is fabricated using an
indirect procedure. The tooth is modified and prepared by using special
instruments and a copy of the tooth preparation is made by taking an
impression. The crown
is then
"permanently" cemented onto your tooth preparation. This procedure
will encompass one to two appointments.
Actually, getting your teeth "crowned" improves not only their cosmetic
appearance but in addition serves in restoring the tooth to its original shape
(repairing a broken tooth) or strengthening a tooth (covering over a tooth that
has a very large filling).
In fact, a dental crown
probably should not be used
as a means to improve the aesthetic appearance of a tooth. Other alternative
dental treatments can achieve the aesthetics without grinding a significant
portion of a tooth away when a dental crown is made. If your objective is to
improve the tooth's appearance, it is usually best to consider porcelain
veneer, dental bonding, or even just teeth whitening.