Dental Crown

Every year, millions of Americans make a visit to a dental clinic for various dental procedures. With advancements in dental care, one just needs to sit back, relax, and let the dentist near you perform the magic. One such common dental procedure in America to restore the tooth’s shape, size, color, and health is a dental crown. We at First Point Dental perform the restorative procedure to strengthen a tooth that is broken down or worn by decay. You can visualize the crown as a type of cap affixed to the damaged tooth with an adhesive. Now, the dental / tooth crown will become the damaged tooth’s outer surface, protecting it against any damage. Large fillings tend to fracture over time leading to root canal and crowns. The landscape of dentistry has changed to being more proactive instead of reactive. It is often advised by the dentist to place a crown when a fracture is anticipated, which will often allow you to avoid the need for a endodontic treatment AND a crown.

Dental Crown Procedure Explained

Crowns are usually made from porcelain, metal, or a combination of the two. On the day of the dental crown procedure, the dentist will assess your bite, replace any missing tooth structure due to decay or fracture, and then will prep the tooth to allow a crown to slide over the prep to protect it. An impression is taken of the prep prior to making a temporary crown. Over a 2 week period, a permanent crown will be fabricated by the lab before the patient returns for a second and final visit to have the permanent crown cemented into place. See below.

First Visit

• The dentist will perform X-rays to evaluate the tooth’s root and bone.
• This is done to identify possible infection and ensure the tooth doesn’t require additional treatment.
• The affected tooth and nearby region will be made numb.
• Next step would be prepping the tooth to make space for the crown placing.
• A paste will be applied to create an impression of the tooth for the lab.
• The lab will fabricate the crown over a 2 week period.
• In the meantime, the dentist will place a temporary crown to protect the damaged tooth till the permanent crown is ready.

Second Visit

• First, the dentist will remove the temporary crown.
• The permanent crown will be inspected to check if it matches the color and size of the impression.
• Finally, the permanent crown will be placed (dental crown procedure completed) with the help of dental cement.