It was not all that long ago that if you had seriously damaged teeth, your only solutions were to have very deep fillings or to have your teeth extracted and then be fitted with dentures. Today, we have many more advanced options to overcome decay and damage, including dental crowns. These prosthetics allow you to continue biting, chewing, speaking, and smiling with a good portion of your natural teeth intact.
Crowns are dental prosthetics that replace the top portion of a tooth. As a result, dental crowns can do the following:
To have a traditional crown prepared and installed, you will need a couple of visits to Dr. Addy at Carlsbad Beach Dental. On your first visit, he will remove any damaged or decayed areas and then take impressions of your mouth, which will be used by a master ceramist at a dental lab to manufacture your crowns. The material used will be indistinguishable from the rest of your tooth, so you do not have to worry about a restoration that looks unnatural or out of place. Once the lab has delivered your crown, you will come back for another visit, during which Dr. Addy will do a bit more tooth preparation, and then secure your crown using a special cement.
As an alternative, our CEREC dental crowns are created in our dental office on the same day as your first appointment, saving you time that you could use doing other things on your to-do list.
With the crown in place, your tooth will be every bit as good as, if not better than, it was before it became damaged or decayed. Although your crowns will be impervious to decay, you still have to take care of the underlying tooth structure. If you should happen to develop gum disease, for instance, then your crown could be compromised. To take care of your crown, all you need to do is continue to brush and floss, as we hope you do normally, and see us for regular checkups and cleanings.
