Learn About Crowns
Dental Crowns
Dental Crowns in Fort McMurray
When Does A Patient Need A Crown?
There are many different reasons that a patient may require a dental crown. If you have a large amalgam filling that is starting to break down, sometimes the remaining tooth structure is too weak to support a regular white filling and it needs to be reinforced by a dental crown. Another situation where a patient may need a dental crown is if they have had root canal therapy done to save their tooth. After this treatment the tooth is weak as it no longer has a blood supply to the tooth keeping it alive and keeping it strong. Without a dental crown the tooth could easily fracture. Often a root canal and a dental crown go hand in hand to save a patient from losing a dying tooth. Some people also get dental crowns to help change their teeth to a shade and shape that they prefer over their natural teeth.
When dealing with large cavities, a crown can also become necessary as there is little remaining natural tooth structure to secure a filling material to. Crowns entail working the tooth into something that is similar to a little peg then positioning an artificial cap over the other area of the exposed tooth.
CROWN PROCEDURE
Preparing The Tooth
Our dentists understand how much of the tooth needs to be removed to construct a solid crown that will protect the remaining tooth. The tooth is taken down on every side, and tapered faintly, but evenly, to ensure that the crown slips down over all sides of the tooth.
Building Up The Tooth
Sometimes after all ends are ground down, and all of the decay has been removed, the tooth that is left is too short or is not big enough to be utilized for the crown. In such cases, our dentists are going to ‘build-up’ the problem tooth with fillings to enable the crown fit firmly over it.
Creating The Impression
The shaved tooth is thoroughly cleaned and dried, after which the gum tissue around it is softly pressed back to reveal more the tooth. Following that, the Dentist or Dental Assistant will use a tray filled with material to take an impression of the remaining tooth structure. Once the impression material is hardened, we have the proper outline of your specific tooth, as well as how your teeth bite together naturally to ensure a proper fit for your new crown.
Placing The Temporary Crown
The dentist will take a preformed shell and mold it to your tooth. He will place it with temporary cement that can be easily taken off when you come back to have the permanent crown placed. This non-permanent crown will endure normal wear and tear until the permanent comes.
Permanent Fixing
The patient will come back when the dental lab has finished the permanent crown which is usually within 2 weeks. This subsequent treatment could involve a little level of anesthesia to ensure the dentist can release the temporary crown and clean up any excess cement from the remaining tooth but it isn’t always necessary. After the Dentist places the crown, he will get the patient to bite together for a couple of minutes to solidify the fuse and will do one or two tests to ensure that the bite pattern is similar to the previous one.
Recovery
Usually, the final visit in a crown procedure doesn’t cause much strain to the affected region in the patient’s mouth. There can be a numbness which should fade away with the anesthetic; however, any pain would be minor. Our dentists will caution patients to avoid hard or sticky foods for about two days to give the crown cement enough time to form a strong bond. The patient may find that they have some sensitivity in the region to cold and hot liquids, however this should ease off after a while.
All dental services performed by a general dentist.