Benefits of Dental Crowns
Edmonds, WA
Your teeth are the hardest substance in your body. However, this does not mean that they are impervious to damage. To keep your teeth healthy, proper oral care is required. This care involves brushing at least twice a day, flossing daily, and maintaining regular dental visits for cleanings and exams. It is still possible, though, despite the best oral care, that issues can still arise. A tooth may experience decay. It may be cracked or chipped as a result of facial trauma. It may even fall out. When a tooth is damaged, it affects the quality of your smile. It also can put you at risk for further damage and infections. At Perrinville Family Dentistry, we can help to restore damaged teeth with crowns.
What is a Crown?
A crown is essentially a protective cap that is placed over a damaged tooth, covering the entire surface of the tooth. It serves a variety of purposes. Crowns help to strengthen a weak tooth. They help to prevent further damage and even the need for an extraction. They protect the tooth from bacterial invasion and infections. Depending upon the material of the crown, they can also restore the beauty of your smile.
Types of Crowns
There are several different types of crowns, each with their advantages as well as disadvantages.
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Metal. Metal crowns have been in use for over 150 years. They are prized for their superior strength, being practically indestructible. This makes them ideal for damaged teeth at the back of the jaw. Well cared for, they can last more than 50 years. The biggest disadvantage to metal crowns is that they are silver or gold in color, making them visible in your mouth.
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Porcelain fused to metal. PFM crowns combine the strength of metal around the tooth with an aesthetic layer of porcelain on the exterior. The porcelain blends in with the rest of your teeth, providing a more natural smile. However, a thin metal line can often be seen at the base of these crowns, giving them away.
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Ceramic. Ceramic crowns are the most popular crowns available. While not as strong as metal, they are still fairly strong and can withstand most normal daily wear and tear. Ceramic is preferred because the material so closely resembles the natural tooth enamel, including the way enamel, reflects light. |
The Crown Procedure
The first thing we do before beginning the crown procedure is administered a local anesthetic. This enables us to work on the affected tooth with no discomfort felt by you. Once the anesthetic has taken effect, we begin preparing the tooth. This process involves the removal of some of the enamel of the affected tooth, reducing it in size. By doing this, we ensure that your crown will fit perfectly, and comfortably, in with the rest of your teeth.
Once the tooth has been prepared, we then take an impression. In the past, an impression used to involve dental putty. Today, however, impressions are taken digitally. With digital impressions, we are provided exact 1 to 1 measurements and can create a more perfectly fitting crown. The information from the impression is sent to our in-house dental lab, where the crown is created. Once the crown is ready, we check it for fit, as well as color. If everything looks good, we cement the crown in place.
Benefits of Crowns
There are several benefits involved with crowns:
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Provide strength and protection to compromised teeth.
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Prevent the need for an extraction.
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Protect a root canal or cover a screw for a dental implant.
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Ceramic crowns blend in beautifully with the rest of your teeth, giving you a seamless, beautiful smile. |
A crown can help to protect a damaged tooth, keeping it safe and preventing the need for an extraction. If you have experienced tooth damage, call us at (425) 616-0620 today to find out if a crown is right for you.
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Hours
(425) 616-0620 
Gary J. Jacky, DMD