Dental Crowns are a tooth-shaped cap which is placed on the tooth to restore the shape, size, and appearance of the tooth. It also enhances the strength of the tooth. If the major part of the tooth is missing, then the crown is the best solution for it. By placing the crown, a tooth can function normally again.
Dental crowns quality in Iran good and are commonly constructed from a variety of materials. Gold alloys, nickel and chromium are some of the more popular metals, but hardly all that are used to make crowns. Porcelain is another common material, as this material best matches the color of the natural tooth, as well as provides an alternative to metal. Porcelain fused to metal is another common material. Each has its pros and cons, so your dentist might have to make some strategic decisions with you.
WHEN IS DENTAL CROWN NEEDED?
Dental crowns are used as caps on missing or fractured tooth to protect the life of your teeth. Dental Crowns are needed to:
- Protect or restore a tooth from fracturing due to accident or trauma
- Replace a tooth which is too large for a filling
- Get a cap over Implant placed
- Restore the tooth on which RCT was performed
- Cover discolored, misshaped or badly formed tooth
- Require a bridge in that case crowns are a must
In addition, Dental Crown gives your tooth the strength, shape, size and help to improve the appearance of your tooth. If your dentist has advised, you to get a crown and you are delaying the process then there are chances that you can damage your tooth to the extent that extraction is the last resort.
Moreover, not getting a dental crown can wear down other adjacent teeth causing damage.
WHAT PARTS OF THE TOOTH DOES A CROWN FIX?
Every tooth has the same layers, even though they come in different shapes and sizes. From outside in, these layers are the enamel, the dentin, the pulp, and the root. As long as the fracture or decay leaves some dentin to work with, the crown replaces the tooth’s former shape. In that case, your dentist will sculpt it a bit so it’s thin enough to accommodate a crown.
If there’s no dentin to work with, an implant gets screwed into the jaw, leaving an artificial nub above the gumline to serve as the base for the crown. Either way, a crown fits over the artificial or dentin foundation, resembling the crown on a monarch’s head.
Dental crown ‘s quality in Iran
There are a variety of dental materials used in Iran for dental crown fabrication. Before your dental crown is fabricated, your dentist may ask if you have a preference for the type of material. Here are the five different types of dental crowns to choose from:
Stainless Steel
Dental crowns made from stainless steel are an appropriate choice for a child who is in need of a dental crown for a primary tooth. When stainless steel crowns are used for adults, it is generally only for a temporary dental crown. Temporary dental crowns are required between the tooth preparation appointment and the permanent crown placement appointment to protect the exposed tooth structure. If your dentist offers same-day crowns, then a temporary crown may not be needed at all.
Metal
Metal crowns are the strongest type of dental crown that is not abrasive to the opposing teeth. They can be fabricated from multiple metals like platinum, gold, copper, and base metal alloys, cobalt-chromium and nickel-chromium. Most metal crowns are a mixture of metals and primarily contain base metal alloys. In most cases, metal crowns are used to restore molars because of their strength, metallic appearance, and the fact that they are not visible when smiling. Other than the fact that some people may be allergic to metal, other people avoid metal crowns because of their appearance and the fact that they corrode over time.
Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM)
PFM crowns are similar to metal crowns with the exception that they are fabricated with a porcelain coating over a metal base. PFM restorations are highly popular because they offer the same strength as metal crowns with the aesthetics of porcelain crowns. Unlike metal crowns, however, PFM crowns are abrasive to the opposing teeth and can cause them to wear down faster. Another concern with PFM crowns is the fact that gum recession can allow the metal ring to show.
All-Porcelain Crowns
Dental crowns fabricated entirely using porcelain or ceramic materials are known appropriately as all-porcelain or all-ceramic crowns. This type of dental crown is commonly recommended for dental patients who are allergic to metals. They are also ideal for cosmetic dentistry treatments because of their ability to improve the contour and color of teeth. All-porcelain crowns offer patients a naturally, aesthetic restoration option. Although porcelain crowns lack the strength of PFM crowns but are just as abrasive on opposing teeth.
All-Resin
Dental crowns fabricated entirely out of dental composite resin are another metal-free, aesthetic option that is highly affordable. However, resin dental crowns are significantly weaker than other types of dental crowns and are more likely to chip or crack, as well as to wear down faster.
HOW TO CHOOSE A DENTAL CROWN MATERIAL
Overall, dental crowns can be fabricated from a variety of dental materials like stainless steel, metal, porcelain fused to metal, porcelain, and resin. Each type of dental crown has various pros and cons that need to be carefully evaluated before deciding on a permanent restoration. Depending on your individual dental needs, your general dentist will likely provide you with advice on which type of dental crown will work best for you. Given the natural advantages of each, it’s a subjective balance between easy maintenance, the crown’s longevity, and aesthetics. Practically speaking, metal (gold) is the best choice. It covers the root of the tooth, protects the other, unaffected teeth in your bite, and won’t chip or change colour.
But a natural-looking smile is vital to most of the patients , and because of that, dentists do a lot of work on helping people achieve the right dental shade. Given that preference, dentists put some thought into which teeth benefit most from metal. dentists recommend choosing metal for the innermost top and bottom molars. Most intensive chewing relies on the molars, so you’ll want something that won’t break.
Porcelain comes recommended mostly for the outer surfaces of your front and top teeth — the very center of your smile. You could also put them on the lower front teeth, but they might chip, making contact with the inside of your top row of teeth.
Composite provides a good choice for that lower front row in some cases, where they make only glancing contact with the inside of your upper front teeth. The discolouration from brushing could be noticeable, but it won’t be front and center when you smile.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal goes well with canine teeth and teeth preceding molars in some cases. The metal at the gum lines are harder to spot when you smile, but you’ll have the flex you might need when chewing meat, raw vegetables, nuts, or other hard chewing foods. The contact points aren’t under as much pressure as the molars’ are.
STRATEGIZE WITH YOUR DENTIST
The best thing to do is make use of your dentist’s experience. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so each of the pros and cons depend on viewpoints shared by you and your dentist. You’re welcome to get a recommendation for what material to choose, based on the technical surface area and tooth number.
Choosing the right material along with good maintenance should grant you about 10 years useful life for a crown. You’ll have to brush and floss correctly, though, just like natural teeth. But great dental crowns will have you appreciating your new smile in a new light!
What steps are involved in preparing a tooth for a crown?
Preparing a tooth for a crown usually requires two visits to the dentist, the first step involves examining and preparing the tooth, the second visit involves placement of the permanent crown.
First Visit: Examining and preparing the tooth
At the first visit in preparation for a crown, your dentist may take a few X-rays to check the roots of the tooth receiving the crown and surrounding bone. If the tooth has extensive decay or if there is a risk of infection or injury to the tooth’s pulp, a root canal treatment may first be performed.
Before the process of making your crown is begun, your dentist will anesthetize (numb) your tooth and the gum tissue around the tooth. Next, the tooth receiving the crown is filed down along the chewing surface and sides to make room for the crown. The amount removed depends on the type of crown used (for instance, all-metal crowns are thinner, requiring less tooth structure removal than all-porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal ones). If, on the other hand, a large area of the tooth is missing (due to decay or damage), your dentist will use filling material to “build up” the tooth to support the crown.
After reshaping the tooth, your dentist will use impression paste or putty to make an impression of the tooth to receive the crown. Impressions of the teeth above and below the tooth to receive the dental crown will also be made to make sure that the crown will not affect your bite.
The impressions are sent to a dental laboratory where the crown will be manufactured. The crown is usually returned to your dentist’s office in 2 to 3 weeks. If your crown is made of porcelain, your dentist will also select the shade that most closely matches the color of the neighboring teeth. During this first office visit your dentist will make a temporary crown to cover and protect the prepared tooth while the crown is being made. Temporary crowns usually are made of acrylic and are held in place using a temporary cement.
Second Visit: Receiving the permanent dental crown
At your second visit, your dentist will remove your temporary crown and check the fit and color of the permanent crown. If everything is acceptable, a local anesthetic will be used to numb the tooth and the new crown is permanently cemented in place.
Dental crown care
While a crowned tooth does not require any special care, remember that simply because a tooth is crowned does not mean the underlying tooth is protected from decay or gum disease. Therefore, continue to follow good oral hygiene practices, including brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once a day-especially around the crown area where the gum meets the tooth.
DO’S
- Since the natural teeth are still beneath the crown and are vulnerable to decay, therefore, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene therefore brushing, rinsing and flossing should be followed regularly.
- If you clench your teeth, then it is advised to use mouthguard to protect your crown and this also does not allow your teeth to wear down.
- Get crowns only by a dental expert who is trained in placing dental implants. Poor placement of crowns can reduce the longevity of crowns.
- Do visit your dentist every 6 months to ensure that your oral health is in the best care.
DON’TS
- Do not use your teeth as tools as this will put pressure and will damage the crown
- Do not bite your nails and chew pencils
- Do not chew ice or candy which is hard
- Do not eat sticky food
- Do not consume too hot or too cold food as this might cause sensitivity
How long do dental crowns last?
On average, dental crowns last between 5 and 15 years. The life span of a crown depends on the amount of “wear and tear” the crown is exposed to, how well you follow good oral hygiene practices, and your personal mouth-related habits (you should avoid such habits as grinding or clenching your teeth, chewing ice, biting your fingernails and using your teeth to open packaging).
Faq
What’s the difference between a temporary and permanent crown?
The name says it all here. Temporary dental crowns are, essentially, only those that are fitted onto your tooth while the permanent crown is being created in a dental lab. Because a permanent crown may take several days or weeks to create, dentists will fit patients with temporary crowns that they can create right there in their office to fill the void while the permanent crown is being fabricated. Temporary crowns are typically made from acrylic or stainless steel and are best cared for by avoiding sticky and chewy foods, side flossing and by refraining from chewing on that side of your mouth until the permanent crown is fitted.
Does a crown protect the underlying tooth from decay and/or gum disease?
No it does not, and this is a common misconception that people have. Hence, it’s important to brush and floss the crowned tooth just as you would any normal tooth, especially around the gum line.
How much do dental crowns in Iran cost?
Dental crowns vary in price based on the material used and what area of the country you live in. Furthermore, porcelain crowns are usually the most expensive. The cheapest types of crowns are usually the ones made of gold or porcelain fused to metal ones.
