Dental crowns, A guide to the process and getting the most out of your restored teeth

Is one of your chewing teeth horribly worn down or irregularly shaped? Are you concerned about a persistently aching tooth? Did you crack your tooth, or is a chip growing larger? Gentle Dentistry of Newnan PC has the answer to these and other dental concerns, and that answer comes in the form of a versatile treatment: dental crowns. 

An introduction to crowns in west-central Georgia

A tooth is a sum of its parts. Notably, the white part of the tooth visible in the smile is called a “crown.” While tooth structure is stronger than skeletal bone, it is not impervious to injury. The crown may become damaged due to a variety of different conditions or injuries, including: 

• Chips 
• Fractures
• Cavities 
• Other forms of decay 
• Deep inflammation 
• Severe pulpal infection 
• Wear and tear 

Smaller cavities may be treated with dental restorations such as fillings. A full crown may be recommended to treat larger cavities. The lab-made dental crown is designed from special materials prepared, shaped, and placed to fit on top of the clean and prepared natural tooth structure. These materials include metals (like gold) and ceramics (like porcelain). 

For bigger cavities, a bit more “coverage” may be required to support the tooth than their smaller counterparts. Without a full crown, the treated tooth may not be sufficiently strong and could be vulnerable to future damage and even tooth loss.

Additionally, crowns may follow root canal therapy. RCT is often the only way to preserve teeth with severe inflammation or infection. Crowns restore the treated tooth and avoid the extraction or removal of the badly damaged tooth. 

Wear and tear, one of the conditions mentioned above, can further dismantle the appearance of the teeth. So, crowns are also appropriate for “large” cosmetic cases, those teeth that are not good candidates for more conservative cosmetic procedures (such as bonding or veneers). The crown or “cap” may be secured to the natural tooth to correct a poorly sized or badly-shaped tooth. 

Lastly, crowns are even appropriate for tooth replacement! We use dental crowns when replacing a single tooth with implants or a few or several teeth with dental bridges. 

To learn more about dental crowns and our gentle yet advanced approach to these and other treatments, call our office in Newnan, GA, at (470) 686-6667.