How Dental Crowns Are Used For Tooth Restoration
Your Epsom dentist explains more about the versatile dental crown.
Dental crowns are well known to the general public and many people have them. Whilst they are generally fitted where a tooth has broken, they are also used more widely in a number of procedures that we perform at The Clock Tower Dental Clinic, and we take a look at some of these below.
Broken tooth
Perhaps the most common use of a dental crown is to restore a broken tooth which is so extensively damaged that a regular filling would not restore it with the strength needed for it to be fully functional. The tooth is prepared and digitally scanned which allows us to use our in-house CEREC technology to create the crown for you in just one hour, without the need for a second visit.
Bridges
Crowns are also used as a part of a dental bridge whereby they are attached to the teeth either side of the gap that the bridge will fill. The adjacent teeth are prepared and shaped, following which the crowns which support the bridge are securely attached.
Root canal treatment
Root canal treatment is performed when the canals in the roots of the tooth become infected. The only way to treat this is to remove the infected material and replace it with a special filling (Gutta Percha). In order to access the canals, the top of the tooth has to be removed and this naturally weakens the tooth. Once the canals have been filled, a dental crown is added to give the treated tooth both a natural appearance and sufficient strength for daily use.
Dental implants
Although the implant itself is actually a screw like object which is made from titanium, this is not the part that people see once the whole procedure is complete. The implant is placed into the jawbone and allowed to fuse with the bone. This process, known as osseointegration, provides a very firm base and makes the implant, in effect, a replacement tooth root. A dental crown is then attached to the implant, via an abutment, leaving your new replacement tooth not only with an extremely strong foundation, but an entirely natural looking tooth too.
As mentioned earlier, here at your local dentist in Epsom, we have invested in CEREC technology which enables us to make your new crown and other dental restorations all in a single visit. This means that you do not have to wait a week or more for an external laboratory to complete the work. In addition to this benefit, there have been a number of reports that crowns prepared using this method, may be stronger and longer lasting than those prepared in a dental laboratory.
For more information about dental crowns or any other aspect of the care we provide, please call The Clock Tower Dental Clinic of Epsom, Surrey on 01372 720136.