Do I Need A Crown? Should I Avoid Them? Advice From Dentists
There are various conditions in which a crown treatment would be recommended to you.
This is usually the chosen treatment for those with cavities, decay, cracks or breakages.
A crown provides a solution to these problems by restoring the tooth’s function and look by covering and protecting the existing tooth.
Here at the Perfect Smile, we are able to carry out all your tooth repair and replacement treatments, right here at our Hertford Clinic.
A crown is a cap for a tooth that has become damaged and can be made from metal or porcelain
The purpose of a crown is to protect the tooth from further decay and to restore the bite and chewing functions of the tooth and mouth.
Whilst crowns might naturally be associated with the back molars, crowns can also be placed on the front teeth too.
Types of crowns
There are 5 main materials used for dental crowns:
- Porcelain
- Ceramic
- Zirconia
- Metal
- Composite Resin
You may also have a crown that is made up of a variety of materials – a porcelain crown fused to metal for example.
The material you choose with your dental specialist will depend on a number of factors, such as the location of your tooth, how much of the tooth will show when you smile, your preference for aesthetics and how much of the affected tooth remains.
Our team of dentists and oral hygienists are here to provide you with the best solutions which are suited to your preferences.
Which dental crown material is best?
Replace old, dark and bulky crowns!
In the past crowns have been made of gold alloy, tin alloy, stainless steel, metal-ceramic combinations and various types of all-porcelain crowns. Compare materials.
Here at the Perfect Smile, we rely on clinical research and those materials that have proven to be successful and give long-lasting results.
While all crown materials offer protection and restoration for the tooth, porcelain crowns don’t just look natural, but they are far more durable:
Strength and durability
With new innovative technology, we are able to produce varying strengths of porcelain crowns and restorations.
This means we can have a porcelain crown that is stronger than a natural tooth and doesn’t wear as fast as a tooth either.
This will not only protect your damaged tooth but completely restore your mouth’s strength.
Aesthetic and natural-looking
Porcelain crowns are not only tooth coloured, but we can offer various shades of ‘white’, textures and light reflection properties to create realistic looking teeth which are seamless and indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
See how advanced new porcelain crowns are here.
Other benefits of a crown:
- To structurally support a tooth
- To protect the whole tooth
- To restore proper functioning of the tooth and other teeth
- To look like a tooth, thus restoring the aesthetics
- To preserve the remaining tooth tissue
- To inhibit bacteria and infections
- To cover an implant
If the teeth can benefit from any of the above, then this treatment will be recommended.
See: Do I really need a crown or filling?
Crowns or Veneers?
Improve your smile with veneers instead!
This is where things might get a little tricky.
We cannot tell you how many patients we treat who confuse the two treatments because they have been marketed crowns as veneers.
The purpose of the crown is to protect existing broken teeth, which has been impacted by very bad decay.
Crowns cover the entire tooth (imagine it like a cap), whereas a veneer is applied to the front surface of the tooth.
Veneers are designed to conceal smile imperfections and require very little tooth preparation.
Crowns on the other hand will need to file your tooth or change its shape.
Differences in sizes:
- Crowns 2mm
- Porcelain veneers like Ultrathin 0.2mm (see more)
See veneer before and after images.
New crown technology
Bulky crowns that leave a dark line between the tooth and the gums are a thing of the past.
Here at The Perfect Smile, we offer patients stronger, more natural-looking crowns that will blend flawlessly with existing teeth.
Discover these types of crowns.
When do I need a replacement crown?
Just like normal teeth, crowns can be prone to damage and decay.
Any crowns that are old, displaying black lines or have poor shape or colour may need to be replaced.
Our helpful ceramist will help you to choose a colour to match the shade of your neighbouring teeth to allow the crown to appear almost unnoticeable.
Fast answers to your quick questions:
- Is the procedure pain-free? There are a number of techniques we use to ensure that you are very comfortable throughout the treatment and subsequent to it. Any treatment that is recommended for you by our dentists is dependent upon your individual circumstances.
- Does a crown hurt more than a filling? We follow strict protocols to ensure you experience no pain at all. There should be no reason why any treatment should hurt you. It does not matter whether we are doing a filling, a crown or a root canal treatment.
- How much do crowns cost? Our high-quality, premium crowns cost from £1,200. They are unmatched in quality and durability.
- Are crowns better than fillings? Crowns offer a different advantage to fillings. They are both chosen for different reasons. Therefore, we cannot say that a crown is necessarily better than a filling or conversely that a filling is better than a crown.
- Is a crown necessary after root canal treatment (front teeth)? In most instances, we do recommend that a tooth be restored with a crown after having undergone root canal treatment. Whether a crown is advised on front teeth or not is dependent upon the amount of natural tooth remaining after the root canal treatment.
- How long do crowns last? We normally say approximately 10 years. However, when we carry out any treatment on your teeth we do so in a way that has the longevity of the treatment in mind.
- Are dental crowns permanent? There are many variables that determine how long a particular treatment like crowns lasts. This is because the mouth is a dynamic environment and is in a constant mode of change.
Call 01992 552115.
