Over time, decay, cracks, and fractures can cause a tooth to weaken or discolor. A crown is the most effective solution whenever a tooth is badly damaged, cracked, broken, or misshapen. We provide custom dental crown treatment at Stonehenge Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Raleigh, NC.
Crowns are dental restorations that help strengthen and add structure to natural teeth. With the newest technology, crowns give patients customized, beautiful, natural-looking teeth to complete a smile and offer optimal health.
What Can Dental Crowns Treat?
Dental crowns in our Raleigh, NC, office can provide the following treatments:
- Cover a damaged tooth: We may recommend a crown if you have a worn, fractured, or broken tooth. Your crown can add structure to your tooth and help withstand biting forces.
- Cap a dental implant: A single implant consists of a post, abutment, and crown. A dental crown acts as your false tooth. We color-match crowns to ensure they match other natural teeth.
- Protect a tooth after a root canal: We often recommend a crown to protect a weakened tooth after a root canal treatment. Oftentimes, a crown protects the tooth and tooth roots.
- Cover large fillings: Fillings seal a tooth after cavity treatment. Sometimes, a filling is too large to protect the tooth from damage or wear. A crown can cover a large filling to prevent further damage. Pressure from large fillings can crack or break a tooth.
Types of Dental Crowns
There are many types of crowns available at the dentist, including:
- Metal: Traditionally, crowns were made of metal. Metal alloy crowns provide strength to a treated tooth but do not blend in with the shade of other natural teeth. These crowns can use gold, silver, tin, and other metals.
- Porcelain Fused to Metal: PFM crowns consist of a thin layer of porcelain that covers metal. While these crowns are strong, the metal beneath the porcelain can show through at the gum line.
- Porcelain: These crowns help mimic the natural appearance of teeth with tooth-colored materials. Porcelain is also highly durable and useful if you need to cover molars with crowns.
- Ceramic: Same-day dental crowns use ceramic materials, which are tooth-colored like porcelain crowns. The difference is that ceramic crowns are not as strong, so dentists prefer them for the front teeth.
- Zirconia: Zirconia crowns use a hard ceramic material. However, this hard material can potentially damage teeth. Zirconia crowns are also more expensive than other options.
Our office prefers porcelain crowns because they look natural and strengthen teeth. We work with local dental labs to craft customized crowns that match the aesthetic of your smile.
Dental Crown Treatment in Raleigh, NC
Before you get a crown, we will take digital X-rays. If you have any oral healht problems, we will treat them first to ensure you are in good oral health.
Fitting a dental crown requires at least two visits to our office. First, we will remove decay, fractures, or underlying tooth problems.
Next, we will shape the tooth and make dental impressions. We will fit you with a temporary crown while the lab fabricates the final crown.
On the next visit, we will remove your temporary crown. Then, we fit and adjust the final crown to ensure proper function, comfort, and appearance. If you receive a single dental implant and require a crown, we will wait until your implant has healed to add the crown.
After your crown treatment, we recommend eating soft foods like pasta, mashed potatoes, and yogurt. Eating hard or crunchy foods directly after receiving a crown can dislodge or damage your crown. These foods can also increase tooth pain and sensitivity.
You can clean your crowns like natural teeth. Ensure you floss between your crowns and natural teeth to remove food debris and prevent bacterial buildup. Then, brush with a soft-bristled brush and non-abrasive toothpaste.
Remember to continue scheduling routine visits so we can examine and clean your crowns. A good oral hygiene routine and regular dental care ensure your tooth crowns last.
Dental Crown FAQs
By now, you know crowns can help repair a tooth, add structure to weakened teeth, and change tooth color. But do you want to know more about dental crowns? Read answers to popular questions about crowns and related treatments:
What are inlays and onlays?
Also known as partial crowns, inlays and onlays cover and protect a different part of the tooth than crowns. Inlays cover the tooth’s chewing surface between the tooth cusps. Onlays cover the chewing surfaces and cusps, meaning they cover the very top of the tooth.
Inlays and onlays are typically made of porcelain or composite materials to blend in with teeth. In addition, like crowns, inlays and onlays are separate pieces that a dentist can adhere to the tooth.
Do dental crowns hurt?
Dental crown treatment is not painful. Our dental office uses local anesthesia to numb the treated area. We also offer sedation dentistry for patients anxious about the treatment.
Our goal is to ensure patients feel comfortable during treatment. After you receive your crown, getting accustomed to your new restoration may take time. However, you should not feel excessive pain or discomfort.
How long do dental crowns last?
If you care for your tooth crowns, they can last 15 to 20 or more years. Gently brushing the crowns and flossing between crowns and natural teeth ensures your restorations will last.
Although rare, dental crowns can become loose or damaged. An injury can damage your crown. Harmful bacteria can also enter beneath loose crowns and affect natural teeth if you do not properly care for your oral health. Contact our office if you notice a change in your crown, and we can plan a replacement.
Contact Our Dental Office Today
Receive a custom-made dental crown at Stonehenge Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Raleigh, NC. Call us at 919.295.0936. You can also schedule a dental appointment with Dr. Elderkin or Dr. Giggey on our website.
Please let us know at your next dental visit if you have any questions or current dental concerns. We’re here to help. We serve patients from Brennan Station, Traemoor Village, and Heritage Point.