Dental Crown

Many older people have one or more dental crowns in their mouths. Dental crowns are a common form of dental restoration for teeth that have broken down or have had root canal treatment.  There are different types of dental crowns, for different situations. For instance,  children may have temporary stainless steel crowns placed on broken-down baby teeth. 

 

 

Dental crown restoration can be used to place on a prepped tooth after root canal treatment or to place a dental crown on a dental implant.  Modern dental crowns have come a long way from stainless steel or gold crowns. With new dental technology, esthetically pleasing dental crowns that match the colors of the other teeth in the mouth can be fabricated.  This is a Dentist Blog about Dental Crowns and dental crowns placement. 

We will also discuss local dental inlays and dental onlays.  Common Root Canal Question or Dental Crown Question we get asked, is - after root canal treatment do I have to have a Dental Crown placed on my tooth? The simple local dental answer is no, though many times having a dental crown placed after completing root canal treatment is recommended. 

Understanding what a dental crown is, how a dental crown is placed onto the tooth, and how long can a dental crown last - are all important dental information that can help you with your dental care. Many people use the term "cap" instead of the dental crown - both terms can be used interchangeably as we will discuss. 

• Dental Crown Placement  And Dental Crown Information:

We will be discussing dental crowns in this dental article. We at Dentalchat.com are discussing various dental care topics.

• Some background/history of dental crowns:

 

What are dental crowns?

A dental crown is referred to by many people as a cap.  Many people around the world will end up with a dental crown sometime in their life. Humans have created various dental products to use as replacements for teeth over the last several thousand years.  There is historical evidence that some civilizations used gold crowns on teeth, in various crude forms. Dr. Charles Land is credited with creating the first form of a porcelain type of crown in 1903.  

Dr. Charles Land was a Detroit dentist and is known as the father of porcelain dentistry. Dr. Land introduced the all-porcelain jacket crown, a somewhat early version of modern porcelain crowns. This porcelain jacket crown invention, he ended up patenting in 1889. Many dentists consider Dr. Land’s porcelain crown - as the first modern rendition of the dental crown, we know today.

The porcelain jacket procedure consisted of using a broken tooth (maybe an older extracted tooth) and rebuilding it with a porcelain covering the tooth (hence, the jacket). The porcelain jacket crown was very effective for many people at the time and was used widely until the 1950s.  when a stronger solution – the more modern porcelain-fused-to-metal crown (pfm) was introduced.

Most people end up with a filling at some time in their lifetime.  Sometimes, the caries are so large or the tooth is broken down to a large degree - that a tooth filling will not suffice. That is when dentists will prepare the tooth to get a dental crown. Dental crowns are a form of dental restoration that completely covers the tooth - like a cap.  There are various forms or types of dental crowns.

• How are dental crowns made?

• What to expect when getting a dental crown:

• Dental Crown steps:

Technology is rapidly changing dentistry and dental care. This is the case with dental crowns as well.  The standard way a dental crown is made is as follows:

• Dental Crowns Procedure 

• What does the dentist do when Prepping for a Dental Crown?

Taking an impression, checking the fit, cementing, and checking the bite of the new dental crown -

1. The tooth is prepped. The tooth is prepared or tapered, so as to have the crown or cap be able to go on top of the tooth. Generally, this is done with a handpiece machine/drill by the dentist.  

2. An impression is taken - this is the gooey material that goes into the mouth, to take an impression of the tooth to forward to the dental lab. Some dentists now are using digital technology to take dental impressions of the tooth. Using that digital impression to possibly make the dental crown on the same day.  If the dentist does take a gooey impression that is forwarded to the dental lab- then the final dental crown is made by the dental lab usually. It may take a couple of days or up to a couple of weeks or longer - to make the dental crown by the dental lab and return back to the dental office.

3. Inserting the dental crown.  The dental crown is checked to make sure it is the right fit.

4. After making sure a good fit, the dental crown is generally cemented or glued onto the tooth.

5. The last step is to check the bite.  The dentist will make sure the bite of the patient is at it was before. Hence, the dentist will adjust or file down the new dental crown to make sure the patient has a comfortable bite.  This is important. If the bite is not right, then can experience dental pain when chewing on that tooth.

  Common Cosmetic Dentistry Question Local Dentists Get Asked - Why do the older white Dental Crowns porcelain sometimes chips, and there is metal under it?  In the 1990s and early 2000s, most dental crowns were termed PFM crowns.  Porcelain Fused To Metal - PFM crowns, sometimes had the porcelain top layer chip off and the metal frame under it remain.  

Many people getting a dental crown for the first time, can be concerned about getting a dental crown. Here are some Dental Crown questions - Good Dental Questions to ask your dentist before getting a dental crown.

• Dental Crown Cost Question?

• How much will the dental crown cost?

• How long will it take to get a permanent dental crown?

A couple of good dental crown questions to ask your dentist, before starting the process of getting a new dental crown is:

1. How much will the dental crown cost?  Each dental office has its own dental treatment prices for various types of crowns.  Also, good to know if any secondary procedure will be needed? Sometimes, for instance, crown lengthening may be needed. Why, because the caries or crown prep will need to be slightly below the gum line.  Hence, a slight crown lengthening procedure may be needed.

2. How long will it take to get the permanent tooth cemented in?  There may be more than 2 office appointments and also, each dental office has various dental treatment protocols.  Some dental offices may provide same-day dental crowns, while some may have over 3 weeks of turn-around time.

• Prepped Tooth Blog: What is a prepped tooth?

• Digital Technology in taking tooth impression:

Now dentists are using digital technology to take dental or prepped tooth impressions.  Instead of using the gooey material that hardens inside the mouth, to capture the shape of the prepped toothsome dentists are now using digital technology to take a digital picture of the prepped tooth.  This is done in a 3 dimensional way, using advanced technology. The dentist will need all angles of the tooth, to capture the full shape of the tooth. This is done, so the new dental crown is made to fit nicely and snuggly onto the prepped tooth.

What is a prepped tooth?  That is a tooth that has been shaped or drilled down in such a way that the new dental crown can fit onto it like a cap or hat.  Generally, the new dental crown fits snugly and is shaped - similarly to what the original tooth shape was. This may change though for front teeth, as some may want a more cosmetically pleasing look and for the new dental crowns to close in gaps or spaces in between teeth. 

Dental Crown Chat Online and Online Tooth Crown Blogging with us.  We get many dental questions about dental crowns - people are looking for Dental Crown Information / Tooth Crown Info from us.  Questions such as, what is the best type of crown for my tooth?

• What is the best dental crown on the market?

• Types of Dental Crowns:

For most of the last 40 years, most dentists used either gold crowns or PFM crowns.  PFM was very popular - because it was generally made to match the tooth color of the surrounding teeth.  PFM is a porcelain fused to metal crown, where the crown on the outside is porcelain (nice looking) and on the side it is metal.  

How long can PFM Crowns last?

Some PFM crowns have lasted many decades.  Generally, they last for a long time - though, one problem with PFM crowns is that sometimes the porcelain on top can chip off.  Hence, the metal is still there - but the top porcelain has chipped off of the PFM crown.

Why do people use to get gold crowns?

Gold crowns can last for a long time.  One benefit of gold is that it is a malleable metal.  That is, it can be shaped. Many people who have had gold crowns in their mouth for longer than one year, will say the bit is fairly comfortable.  Why, because the gold conforms to the bite. One reason people would choose PFR crown over the gold crown was the color.

Many people would rather have a white-colored crown that matches the color of their other teeth - than have a gold-colored tooth in the mouth that can stick out.  Especially, if the gold crown is being put on the premolar or more front teeth.

Now, dentists use full ceramic or all-white types of crowns.  Ceramic crowns have superior esthetics that many dentists like to use for front teeth or teeth that can be easily seen when the patient smiles.  The all ceramic crowns, do not have the dark around the gums look - that may be the case with PFM crowns.

• Temporary Crowns Chat:

• Stainless Steel Crown Blog:

• Acrylic Temp Crown Blogging:

We get dental questions about kids and their stainless steel crowns.  An example of dental questions about kid crowns would be - a dental question about how long will stainless steel crowns last in their child?  Steel crowns are made as a temporary form of tooth crown - that is used for kids or for in-between appointments after tooth prepping. That is, a temporary stainless steel crown until the permanent PFM crown, gold crown, or ceramic crown is made by the dental lab.  Stainless steel crowns are usually out of the box, hence do not cost as much. They generally do not fit as well as a lab-made PFM crown and can fall out over time. The acrylic temporary crown or acrylic temp crown, is very popular by dentists to make for patients to have in their mouth - while waiting to have the permanent crown made by the dental lab.  These temp crowns are meant to last one to two months at max. The acrylic temp crown is usually cemented onto the tooth with a temporary cement, that makes it easier to come off.

Dental Crown Chatting 

Many people have asked us, what is a crown and what is a crown made of? Local Dental Chat Online about crowns with us.  We are Tooth Crown Chatting, Online Dental Crowns Chat, Local Dental Crowns Placement Chat, and Blogging about Prepped Crown Tooth on DentalChat.

Dental Crown Placement 

Dental crowns as we have discussed are usually made in a dental lab - though now, some dental practices do use a special machine to fabricate dental crowns inside their dental office the same day. Dental crowns after being checked for proper fit, are usually cemented into place with a special dental cement that hardens once placed into the mouth.

If permanent dental cement is used, then the crown usually can not be taken out.  Of course, like any dental treatment - proper care is always important, as well as being careful to not abuse the crowned tooth. That is, to not be too aggressive when chewing, etc. We get asked many Local Dental Crown Placement Questions Online with us. If you have a Dental Crown Question, you can post your dentist question with us at DentalChat.

Dental Inlay Treatment Question Information:

What is the difference between a crown and an onlay?  DENTAL INLAYS BLOG, DENTAL ONLAYS BLOGGING:

We get asked many dental onlay questions or dental inlay questions at DentalChat. The dental onlay restoration is a smaller version of the dental crown.  Less of the tooth is prepped and it does not sit over the entire tooth like a cap or hat.  Instead, the dental-only restoration is in the filling area and extends toward the cusps of the tooth.  Dental inlays are restorations that go inside the tooth, usually replacing a large filling.  Both inlays and onlays are usually indirect restorations, that may require 2 sessions?  That is, with inlays and onlays, usually have to take dental impressions. 

Some dental practices now, have a dental impression imaging machine and can make the dental inlay or onlay in the same day, rather than sending it out for a dental lab to make. Dental Onlay Question >>  A common dentistry question we get asked is, are dental onlays more expensive or dental fillings? 

The dental onlay is usually more expensive since your dentist will need to take some sort of impression - and hence, more time to make and more costs in fabrication.  Hence, dental inlays and onlays are usually more expensive at dental offices.

In summary, dental crowns have come a long way in the last 100 years.  Now with digital technology, dental crowns are even making great strides.  Dental crowns have proven to be a great way of protecting a broken down tooth. The more Dental Crowns Information / Dental Crown Info one has - the better one can be prepared to know what to expect.