If your tooth has been injured as a result of a sports accident or damaged by dental decay, a porcelain dental crown can be used to restore a tooth’s strength, function, and appearance. At Harmony Dental Care, Dr. Kalil Abide may recommend porcelain dental crowns, or ceramic crowns, to restore the teeth. Porcelain dental crowns are lab-made restorations that fit snugly and permanently over severely damaged teeth. To learn more about porcelain crown benefits, contact our Jackson, MS practice today.
About Porcelain Crowns
If you need a crown, you’ll attend two separate visits to our office, about one to two weeks apart. Your first appointment will consist of a consultation with Dr. Abide, as well as preparation of your damaged tooth. We will take impressions of your affected tooth and surrounding teeth, so the ceramist at our dental lab can fabricate a well-fitted crown just for you.
In addition to the tooth impressions, Dr. Abide will send the lab information about the coloring of your teeth. With special tinting materials, the ceramist will color your new crown to blend beautifully with surrounding teeth.
While the custom crown is being fabricated in the lab, Dr. Abide will attach a temporary crown to your prepared tooth.
Your second appointment will be the final visit for the crown treatment process. After replacing your temporary crown with the custom-made, ceramic dental crown, Dr. Abide will check your occlusion to ensure that upper and lower teeth fit together properly with the crown in place.
In the absence of injury or disease, crowns can last anywhere from five to 15 years before requiring replacement.
Cosmetic Benefits
Unlike precious metal or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, all-porcelain crowns mimic the appearance and translucence of the natural teeth. When we repair or replace teeth with porcelain crowns, you will maintain a bright, healthy smile.
Porcelain dental crowns improve the look, strength, and health of cracked, broken, discolored, or misshapen teeth. In addition, porcelain crowns resist stains, so they don’t require or respond to teeth whitening.
Function and Durability
Porcelain crowns fit over damaged teeth, restoring their function, durability, and appearance. They are well suited for repairs on the front teeth. To restore molars, Dr. Abide may recommend zirconia crowns, due to their strength.
Be sure to brush twice a day and floss, and avoid grinding your teeth or putting other excess pressure on them to ensure that your crowns last a long time. If you do grind your teeth, ask us about a bruxism guard. As with your natural teeth, to protect your new crown, avoid biting on metal, ice, and other hard objects.
Regardless of the restorations in your mouth, you will always need to attend six-month checkups and dental cleanings, so we can inspect your dental work and natural dentition. Finding and correcting oral health issues early means less invasive and less costly treatment.
Contact Us Today for a Consultation
A noticeable chip, crack, or cavity should be addressed immediately. If you have a nagging toothache on a natural tooth or a restored tooth, you should also schedule a dental visit. These common dental problems are often simply corrected with a porcelain dental crown. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kalil Abide. He will thoroughly examine your oral health, and explain your treatment options. He’ll also help you decide on the best path to move forward and restore your optimal oral health.