As we get a little older, our teeth begin to change and are prone to decay. There are many possible reasons for this change in your smile. These reasons can include bruxism(teeth grinding), general decay, cracked fillings, root canals, and many others. If your tooth is beyond repair with a filling material, Dr. Fleming may recommend that the best viable option to save the tooth is a full coverage crown. The reasons for this type of restoration in a badly damaged tooth are durability, cosmetic appearance, and overall support of the chewing function.
Types of Crowns
If Dr. Fleming decides that you are in need of a full crown, there are a few different options for the repair of your tooth. These options include a full porcelain crown, a porcelain fused to metal crown, or a full gold crown. Dr. Fleming will make the determination as to which of these options is the most appropriate for your situation. You can be comfortable in knowing that your new tooth will be virtually unnoticeable and will flawlessly complement the rest of your smile.
Indications:
There are several indications for crowns. Here are a couple of reasons that your dentist may diagnosis a crown as a necessary restoration:
1) A tooth has previously had, or is in need of, a root canal or endodontic procedure. After a tooth has had a root canal it is crucial that the remaining tooth structure is supported with a crown. Additionally, the crown will seal bacteria away from the root canal filling inside the tooth.2) Broken tooth- A tooth may have a crack or fracture that leads to symptoms. This is often referred to as "Cracked Tooth Syndrome." A cracked tooth or fractured tooth is not always initially symptomatic or painful, but allowed to propagate, the fractured tooth will become symptomatic. At that time, the question may not be "How do we repair the tooth". Instead, the question that needs to be asked when a tooth is symptomatic related to a fracture is, "Can we repair the tooth?". The answer to this question will be based on the severity of the fracture. The fracture can present itself in other ways besides Cracked Tooth Syndrome.
It may be very small, almost invisible to the naked eye. But with the aid of special lights and magnification these can be diagnosed quite frequently. The tooth may or may not have a broken element missing, swallowed or otherwise. All of these scenarios can occur in relation to or completely separate from a previously placed dental restoration on that particular tooth. However, more often than not, broken teeth are related to some type of trauma and/or teeth that have had large fillings previously placed.3) Often times crowning a tooth not only helps ensure the longevity of the tooth, but today's porcelain crown technology can actually revitalize the appearance of teeth!
Procedure
When we have decided to go ahead with a full crown restoration, Dr. Fleming will set aside 1 or 2 appointments for the entire process. Although, with our new CEREC technology the majority of crowns our crowns are completed in one single visit!
The major benefit of this technology is for our patient's time. We understand your time is valuable, and with our new CEREC machine a second appointment is no longer required.
The procedure begins with the removal of all decay in the tooth. Once Dr. Fleming has removed the decay, we will take an optical impression of the tooth with our Cerec camera. Utilizing this technology and software, Dr. Fleming will design your crown right in front of you! It will then be milled in our lab, and we will proceed with the placement of your final restoration. This crown will be fitted comfortably into the mouth. We will make every effort to ensure that the new tooth feels exactly like one of your natural teeth. The final step in the process is to cement the crown into your mouth, leaving you with a beautifully restored smile in one visit!