Many of our patients have had crown (or crown & bridge) treatment to restore their beautiful smiles. But many of you haven’t, and we often get questions about what a crown (or a same-day crown) is and why we would place one. I’m glad to take a moment today to give you a general overview and let you know why this technique is so successful, popular, and in demand.
What is a crown?
A crown is a fixed prosthetic device which simply means it’s a tooth restoration that you don’t remove – it stays permanently in your mouth to support and strengthen a tooth. It also refines its shape, alignment, color, and function. In days past, most crowns were made of gold, but now, because of their beauty, strength, and natural look, many crowns are made of porcelain. They’re so life-like, only you and your Aurora dentist – us! – know that you’re sporting one.
The most common uses for crowns include:
- Preventing a weak tooth from breaking
- Restoring a broken tooth
- Preserving & supporting a tooth that has had root canal treatment
- Supporting tooth structure when a significant portion of the tooth has been filled
- Covering severely discolored or poorly shaped teeth
- Affixing a replacement tooth when tooth loss has occurred.
Crowns are extremely durable and function the way your own teeth do. They can be placed on incisors (biting teeth toward the front of your mouth) or molars (grinding teeth at the back of your mouth) and can last a very long time with regular thorough home care – brushing at least twice a day and flossing once a day.
For many of our patients, attending a dental appointment to have a tooth prepared, an impression taken, and a temporary crown placed – and then waiting for the permanent crown to be made at a lab so they can come back to have it placed – takes up too much of their time. So, we have another option – a same-day crown.
One Visit Convenience!
With same-day crowns, the entire procedure takes place in only one day. Using digital technology, after preparing your tooth, we take a 3-D digital impression and mill a porcelain block – right here in our office – into a beautiful and functional restoration that looks and acts like a natural tooth.
What does that mean for you?
- Less time in the dental chair
- Less time off
- No extra travel expenses
Plus…
- No messy impressions
- No inconvenient temporaries to worry about
- No one will know you have a restoration because it looks so beautifully natural.
We precision-match a translucent biocompatible material to your tooth color. Because your restoration is custom created only for you, it will look as though it has always been there.
Just think – in just one day you could … look great … save time … and save money!
If you think a permanent crown would help you eat, speak, and smile with confidence, contact us today. Village Green Dental Center is your home for comprehensive care.
We will talk with you about the benefits, answer your questions, and together, decide which treatment is best for your smile.
Yours in dental – and overall – health,
Dr. Jason Monroe & your Village Green Dental Center team,
General Family Dentists serving Aurora & Naperville, IL