Prevention Oral Healthcare
Visiting your dentist every six months for a cleaning and exam is imperative. Why? Because this enables your dentist to identify potential oral health problems and handle them before they have time to become major oral health problems. Not all health problems are due to your own lack of oral health care concern, of course, but any damage or issue needs to be diagnosed and handled right away to prevent additional problems.
For example, if you are involved in an accident, you may walk away with a cracked or chipped tooth you know nothing about. If this happens and you don’t make it a habit to visit the dentist, the chip or crack could grow, expand, or allow bacteria in that causes an infection. When this happens, you may end up needing a crown to fix the problem.
What is a Crown?
A dental crown is not as exciting as a royal crown, but it’s a lot more practical. It’s a cover, sometimes referred to as a cap, that’s designed to go over a tooth to keep your tooth healthy and protected. It helps the tooth restore itself to its former glory. For example, if you are involved in an accident and your tooth cracks, a crown is placed over the tooth to help make it stronger and healthier, and it also helps prevent bacteria from settling in and causing additional concerns.
When you need a crown, you have options in terms of material. You can choose metal alloy, porcelain that’s fused to metal, porcelain by itself, ceramics, and even composite resin. Several factors determine what kind of crown your dentist uses, including his or her own experience and preference. When your dentist creates your crown, it’s perfectly matched to your mouth, and it’s made to match the natural color of your own teeth.
Why does Someone Need a Dental Crown?
There are some of the most common reasons you may need a crown:
- Your cavity is too large and too advanced to benefit from a filling
- Your tooth is cracked
- Your tooth is worn down
- Your tooth is weak
- You’ve had a root canal and need to protect your newly restored teeth
- To improve your smile
- To cover a discolored tooth or a tooth that’s shaped imperfectly
How Does It Work?
Applying a crown takes two visits to the dentist’s office. The first visit includes preparation, which involves removing the outer layer of your tooth. The dentist will take an impression of the tooth so that the crown can be made to fit your mouth. Your dentist may do this using a mold or a digital scan. You will be fitted for a temporary crown to wear for approximately two weeks to protect your tooth while the permanent crown is created.
During this time, your tooth is more than likely going to be very sensitive. Extremely hot or cold items might cause you some pain and discomfort, and you should avoid them if possible. You cannot chew gum or eat anything sticky while you are using a temp crown. When your new crown is ready, you go back to the dentist’s office, and you have it placed in your mouth and adjusted. This does not take long at all, but it might be a little uncomfortable while you grow accustomed to having it in your mouth. Your dentist will discuss proper care techniques for your crown once it’s cemented into place and ready to go. Proper oral healthcare practices are imperative if you want to keep you crown healthy and in place during this time.
Call Wilson Dental today to schedule a consultation for a crown. You may not realize it now, but getting fitted for a crown now is more affordable than ignoring the problem and letting it get worse. The faster you treat oral health issues, the less expensive and less damaging it will be in the long run.