If you have a relatively large cavity, have a chip in your tooth or you broke a nice-sized piece of it off, the dentist may have suggested having a crown put on the tooth. If so, then you want to educate yourself on what this means. This article will provide you with information on when a crown may be the best choice, how a crown is put on and what to expect after you get your crown.
When is a crown a good choice?
If you have injured or damaged your tooth then it needs to be repaired as soon as possible. If it isn't, then you run the risk of it getting more damaged or leading to the development of a cavity since the outer layer of protective enamel will be compromised.
Putting a crown on your damaged tooth will allow you to keep it, rather than going through a tooth removal process. It will also offer you a replacement that looks and feels like your natural tooth.
What is the process like for getting a crown?
When you go in to have a crown put on, the dentist will have you bite down on a mold to give them an impression of your mouth and the affected tooth. This impression will be sent off to the dental lab where it will be used to make a crown that fits on your tooth and goes against the opposing teeth correctly to give you a proper bite.
The dentist will also prepare your tooth for the crown by grinding some of the surface down to create space for the bonding agent and the crown itself.
When the crown is sent to the dentist, they will have you come in so they can put it on. The dentist will start by applying the bonding agent directly on your tooth and then push the crown down into place. Once they have checked to see that it fits correctly, they will clean any left-over bonding agent off the surrounding teeth that got on them in the process.
What is the recovery process like?
There are recovery periods for many types of dental procedures, but the recovery from getting a crown is minimal. You may have a little sensitivity after the dentist prepares your tooth and your jaw may be a little sore from keeping it open. However, this should be the extent of your recovery.
If you have any questions on how a crown might work, contact a local specialist, such as Ginger Scoggins DDS, to discuss your concerns.
Share13 November 2015
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