Dental Crowns has been widely known for its aesthetic purpose. But aside from its ability of improving the appearance of one’s teeth, Crowns are also a good solution for weak, broken or damaged teeth.
What is a Crown?
A Dental Crown is a tooth shaped cap that is placed over a damaged tooth to cover it. Unlike Dentures, Crowns are fixated to the teeth by cement which can only be removed by a dentist. Crowns are commonly used for cosmetic enhancements such as covering broken, fractured or decayed teeth, but it can also be used to protect fractured and large fillings, serve as replacement tooth for teeth undergoing Root Canal Therapy, hold Dental Bridges in place and, function as a temporary teeth for Dental Implants.
Materials Used for Crowns
The materials used on a crown can be made depending on the patient’s lifestyle and preference as some materials are stronger and more durable than others. The most used materials are Porcelain Crowns and Metal Alloy Crowns.
- Porcelain Crown
Porcelain Crowns are strong and can be customised to match the colour of your teeth. This type of material is suitable for gums and cheeks and is preferred especially in cases where the crown is placed in the front teeth. However, Porcelain Crowns are more prone to chips or break offs as compared to Metal Alloy Crowns. For people with metal allergies, Porcelain Crowns remain as a good alternative for Metal Alloy Crowns. - Metal Alloy Crown
Metal Alloy Crowns contains metal alloy like Gold and Nickel. This type of material is preferred because of its strength, hardness and durability and is usually used in cases where the crown is placed in the molars to support grinding and crushing. These Metal Alloy Crowns last longer in terms of wear down and rarely chip or break, even though it is very evident because of its metallic color. Considering the price of gold and nickel, Metal Alloy Crowns are expensive.
Getting your Crowns
The success of Crowns depends on multiple factors. Before a Crown is installed, two appointments are needed to fully create a nicely-fitted crown. The teeth may also undergo Root Canal Treatment or Fillings to make sure that it is fit for Crowns
The first appointment is for the Impression of the Teeth and Temporary Crown and for the Preparation of the Crown. An impression of the upper and lower teeth will be taken to record their appearance and how the teeth fit together when the jaws are closed. Next, a jaw-shaped tray with a soft, gel-like material is pushed onto the patient’s teeth and held in place for 3 to 5 minutes. This whole process is needed to make sure that the crown will not affect the patient’s natural bite.
In Crown Preparation, an anaesthesia will be placed to numb the tooth and gum tissue around it. After numbing the selected areas, the dentist will then proceed to reshape the tooth where the crown will be placed. The amount to be removed depends on the type of the crown to be used. After reshaping, another impression will be taken to document the changes in the teeth’s form. The impressions will then be sent to the Dental Lab to proceed in making the Crown as per specifications. And to protect the newly-shaped tooth, a temporary crown is attached to it using a temporary cement.
The second appointment will start by removing the temporary crown so the new crown can be placed and checked. Once the permanent crown is placed, the shape and colour match are checked. If the crown is perfect, it is then cemented to the tooth with dental cement. Final occlusion checks will be done and minor adjustments may be needed to ensure comfort.
Crowns Special Offer at MS Dental
MS Dental now offers a special of $1350 for Crowns for all private health fund owners. Enjoy a whole new smile before your health fund expires at the end of financial year.
Set an appointment with us today!
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