3 Common Questions About Dental Crowns

A dental crown is often used to restore a tooth that is damaged. They help cover the tooth to hide cosmetic damage, as well as give the tooth the strength it needs for chewing. If you've been told that you need to get a dental crown, you likely have the following three questions.

Why Is a Dental Crown Necessary?

Your dentist may have recommended a dental crown for several reasons. Many times it is used to help a tooth that is weak. This can happen due to root canals, repairing teeth that are cracked or filling very large cavities that cause a concern for the teeth breaking. The purpose of crowns is to save your natural teeth when it is possible.

Crowns may also be necessary when there are cosmetic problems with your teeth. For instance, you may have a single tooth that's discolored due to an infection, and a crown is the best way to cover the damage. Crowns can also be used to reshape teeth that you are trying to treat for cosmetic purposes.

How Is a Dental Crown Installed?

It will take two visits to the dentist to have a dental crown installed. The initial visit will start with having an impression taken of your teeth so your dentist knows exactly what size of a crown will fit in your mouth. The dentist will then reshape the tooth that you are restoring so that the crown will fit on it perfectly.

You'll then head home with the temporary dental crown attached to the tooth while your dentist makes your permanent crown. You'll come back to visit your dentist when they are ready to have the permanent crown installed, which is usually within a week or two. The temporary crown is removed, the permanent crown secured in place with dental cement, and then the crown will be polished.

What Happens After a Dental Crown Is Installed?

You can expect the tooth with the new crown to be sensitive for a day or two, but you can get back to eating your favorite foods. One thing to keep in mind is that a dental crown can become damaged if you are not mindful about it. Stay away from foods that happen to be really hard or chewy. There is the potential that you can crack a dental crown if enough pressure is put on it, or that the bond with the dental cement can be broken if something sticky helps pull the crown off.