Dental crowns – capping a tooth and what it involves
Suffering from a chipped, discoloured or worn down tooth needn’t be a crown of thorns. Here’s what you need to know about having a dental crown fitted and how the procedure is done.
What are dental crowns?
Dental crowns are a covering or cap for the surface of your tooth, as opposed to a filling that ‘fills’ the inside of your tooth. Once the cap is placed, you tooth should function like a normal, healthy tooth and you should have no problems with biting or chewing, or brushing your tooth.A crown is not a temporary solution, but a permanent one. The cap is essentially cemented into place over that part of your tooth’s surface which is broken, chipped ground down or otherwise damaged or deformed. A crown may also be molded and affixed so that a bridge could be held in place better.Some people also opt to have caps fitted for aesthetic reasons. They may not like the appearance of an existing tooth which is visible when they speak or laugh. In that case, the dentist will assess whether the patient’s request for a crown is justified. This is because like with all dental procedures, crowns cannot and should not be arbitrarily fitted.We have extensive experience and expertise in attending to dental crowns in Durban North. As with the vast array of procedures (surgical and non-surgical, aesthetic and purely functional)
The different types of dental crowns in Durban North
As the leading provider of professional dental crowns in Durban North, we use the latest approved technology and materials when capping your tooth. The final material selected is done after assessing your needs as a patient, and what the best match would be.When our patients come to us for dental crowns in Durban North, we advise them that crowns can be made of:
1. Porcelain or other dental ceramic materials – these tend to be very natural-looking.
2. Metal, such as dental alloy – these are exceptionally strong. It is easy to work with them, and they are also not abrasive to the teeth situated on either side.
3. A mixture of dental alloy and ceramic, or PFM (porcelain fused to metal). As the name suggests, the porcelain is fixed to the metal below. This crown material looks good and is highly durable as well.
When we carry out procedures relating to dental crowns in Durban North, we will discuss all your options with you from these four perspectives before deciding how to proceed:
1. cost
2. durability
3. the look of the finished product
4. overall utility – why a particular crown may work hardest and most efficiently given your needs.
The procedure for capping a tooth
As the best dentist to turn to for dental crowns in Durban North, we’ve built our reputation on delivering an exceptional, affordable service. Typically, the process of having your crown fitted takes two separate visits.Our advanced in-house technology means though that if required, we can limit your time away from your office or other commitments. We could, for example, take tooth impressions and make the required mould while you wait. Enquire about these options, although from our side, we usually strive to communicate all available methods of proceeding with each of our patients.
Fitting a cap – first visit
• We’ll assess the tooth and advise if it is indeed practical, possible and desirable to cap it. If not, we will advise as to other possibilities such as fillings, veneers and so on, and take things from there.
• We’ll file down the tooth so a cap can be fitted over it. If the tooth is too damaged or decayed, we’ll build it up so it’s strong enough to be a receptacle for the crown.
• Once we’re happy with the shape post grinding down or filling out, we’ll take tooth impressions of this tooth and the ones adjacent, so a made-to-measure crown will fit your tooth perfectly.
• In the meantime, as the leading provider of dental crowns in Durban North, we’ll put a temporary crown in place. This will protect your freshly shaped tooth until your permanent crown is ready.
Fitting a cap – second visit
• We’ll remove the temporary crown.
• We’ll now fit your permanent crown with a special dental ‘glue’.
• When patients ask us to do dental crowns in Durban North, we always advise them that it could take a short while for your capped tooth the feel and function like a normal tooth.
Caring for your dental crown
As leading dentists for affordable, professionally fitted dental crowns in Durban North, our emphasis is always on the sustained oral well-being of our patients. With this in mind, after care post your crown fitting is paramount.
• Carefully clean the crown where it meets the gum thoroughly, as this is where plaque can build up the most. Brush your teeth for two to three minutes with a firm brush that is gentle, as opposed to abrasive.
• Floss regularly and remember that mouthwash is your friend in the fight against plaque build-up. Use an unused section of floss for each new pair of teeth your clean.
• If you’re using an electric toothbrush, remember to change the head every three months or so.
• We highly recommend using interdental brushes. These are small brushes available at some pharmacies and at Clicks. They look like tiny bottle brushes. These are effective in cleaning where a normal toothbrush cannot reach and removing residual food material trapped between your crown and gum line, for example.
• In general, refrain from eating sticky or ‘culprit’ foods such as toffee apples, chewy toffees, popcorn, sugary fizzy cooldrinks and other hard, high impact foods such as peanut brittle.
• You should especially avoid chewing ice as it is both hard and comes with an extreme change in temperature, so can crack your crown. Carefully eating these foods now and then should you crave them is usually not a problem, but the trick is not to consume them continually or often.
