What Is A Dental Crown? A dental crown is basically a fake tooth which is crafted by a dentist to cover up or replace a tooth. It can be attached to the stump of a tooth which has undergone a lot of dental work, go over the top of a tooth which is lacking surface area, or replace a tooth that is missing.

Why Would Someone Need A Dental Crown? There are five common reasons why someone would need a dental crown. One, which has been mentioned, is a root canal. This is where a tooth has become infected with a deep cavity and the roots have died. Once the roots are hollowed out so that they will not rot, a crown is placed over the tooth both for aesthetic and functional purposes. Besides a root canal, large superficial cavities along with cracked and broken teeth can be covered up with a crown. Another reason crowns are used is if someone is missing a tooth entirely. A dental bridge can be placed in the gap with a crown, and it will appear as if the individual has all of their teeth. The final reason that someone may need a crown is if they simply do not like how their teeth look aesthetically. They can replace or be placed over teeth to fix orthodontic problems. 

3 Basic Types of Dental Crowns

Ceramic. Many people prefer ceramic crowns due to the fact that they are the least conspicuous. They can be made to match the exact color of surrounding teeth, which is both good and bad. It is great because it will match for a long time (hopefully), but bad because the color of surrounding teeth may change while that tooth will not. One difficulty with ceramic teeth is that they can fracture or break over time. A replacement may be needed sometime in the future.

Porcelain With Metal. Porcelain-covered metal crowns offer patients the benefits of having a crown which can be crafted to match their other teeth while providing the strength of a metal crown. The only downside to this type of crown is that quite a bit of the authentic tooth must be removed in order to make room for it. 

Metal Alloys. Metal alloy crowns are by far the strongest dental crowns offered. They will not fracture. They also have the added bonus of not wearing down or corroding underlying teeth in any way. The only downside to metal crowns is that not only do they stand out in your smile, they shine. 

For more information about dental crowns, reach out to your dentist today.

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