New Porcelain Crowns

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Dental Crowns: Purpose, Procedure and What to Expect

So, why dental crowns? Over a period of time, teeth can easily become damaged either through decay, wear or injury.

When a tooth is damaged or decayed, the underlying tooth tends to be reshaped so that the new replacement crown can be positioned on top.

When teeth lose their space or size, tooth-shaped caps (crowns) are used to conceal the underlying tooth. This is to restore the look and feel of the tooth shape and size.

Appearance-wise they can be indistinguishable from a real tooth. Your dentist will be able to create a crown that blends flawlessly with the rest of your mouth from gold or other materials. Before & after photos.

See also: Advantages | Treatment Times | Discoloured Teeth

When would a patient need a crown?

• To prevent a tooth from breaking
• To protect weak cracked teeth
• When teeth are severely worn and need restoring
• When there is little tooth remaining
• To conceal misshapen and discoloured teeth
• Secure a dental bridge
• As part of your dental implant treatment

Are veneers better than crowns?

Whilst mostly used to restore misshapen teeth, dental crowns can often be used for cosmetic reasons. However, it is important to note that positioning a crown is more invasive than a veneer.

This often means that for many of our patients, porcelain veneers are the go-to choice for cosmetic purposes to enhance the appearance of the mouth, where crowns are preferable in medically prescribed situations.

The main difference to be aware of to distinguish between veneers and crowns is that veneers are used to cover the front of the tooth, where a crown covers an entire tooth.

Veneers

• Require little to no tooth preparation. Certain brands like Lumineers, Ultrathin and Durathin require no drilling or tooth shaving.
• Crafted from either porcelain, composite or laminate
• Extremely thin and are usually less than 0.5mm in thickness
• Only covers the front surface and leaves more of the existing tooth intact
• Colour matched
• Minimal  movement once the veneer is in place
• Can last anywhere between ten and twenty years depending on the level of care and maintenance

Learn more.

Crowns

• Requires tooth preparation, where the tooth enamel needs to be filed down. Upon application, the enamel will be roughened to keep the crown firmly in place
• Crafted from gold, metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, ceramic, all-resin
• Are two millimetres thick or more
• Covers the entire tooth
• Colour matched (except for metal)
• Crowns may move slightly, which may alter your bite
• Lasts up to 15 years with the correct aftercare

When the procedure is carried out by a skilled cosmetic dentist, telling the difference between the two can be difficult and hard to spot. In many cases where a crown is created entirely from metal, it will be near impossible to spot the difference between your new tooth and existing ones.

Which one is right for you?

It entirely depends on your oral state and the reasons for which you need a crown. In cases, where you have a large filling or the tooth is severely cracked/worn or has had a root canal procedure a crown is probably your best option.

For purely cosmetic reasons where the tooth is mostly intact, veneers can be the best option as they can be used to conceal a wide range of oral issues, including minor shape adjustments.

Call us on 01992 552115.

Crown procedures at The Perfect Smile

1. Your dentist will take an impression through digital scans or moulds
2. The image/mould will be sent to our in-house lab facility, where the crown will be fabricated
3. Temporary crowns may be fitted in the meantime to allow your ground-down tooth to function
4. When your new permanent crown is ready to be fitted, the temporary crown will be removed and the new crown adjusted to fit perfectly
5. Once in the right position, they will cement it firmly in place

The treatment for new porcelain crowns usually only takes two appointments – one to prepare the tooth and another to fit the crown. The time in between the two appointments is used to construct the customised crown to your specifications.

Replacing old crowns

Just like normal teeth, crowns are susceptible to damage.

Old crowns with black lines; poor shape, size and colour; or teeth with fracture, excessively large or disintegrating fillings or tooth decay can look unsightly, which often leads to patients wishing to replace them.

With The Perfect Smile, we use advanced technology to ensure beautiful, natural-looking crowns that are strong and durable.

Patients can rest assured that their new porcelain crowns are excellent and made from strong, high-quality materials and can be made to avoid a thin dark line between the natural tooth and crown.

Our award-winning ceramist will colour match the shade of the neighbouring teeth to create a natural appearance to the crown.

How much is a cosmetic crown?

Depending on your requirements we can customize and tailor-make individual treatments plan to suit your needs and budgets.

You can opt for simple procedures to more complex involved treatments plans to produce your beautiful new smile.

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