Dental Crowns
Why Do I Need a Crown?
Dental crowns are an effective way to protect a broken tooth or safeguard a tooth from potential disaster. Crowns allow you to chew on a tooth without the fear of it breaking in half down to the nerve.
Big fillings are the culprits. Fillings that are only 20% of the tooth are very safe. You still have 80% of the tooth left to chew on and more than enough tooth left to protect the filling. Big fillings that are 50% or more of the tooth only leave the remaining tooth structure at high risk for fracture. Unfortunately, when these teeth fracture, it is not usually the filling that fractures, but the remaining tooth structure, sometimes leaving the patient with not enough healthy tooth structure left to place a crown on. While both fillings and crowns seal the tooth, crowns both seal AND protect the tooth.
Rather than supplementing tooth structure (like a filling), a dental crown surrounds the entire visible portion of a tooth. Most people think of a crown to repair a broken tooth, but there are many other applications.
Dr. McClintock only uses the highest quality of materials to ensure not just the longevity of the restoration, but safety of the patient. Thanks to developments in materials, she can be more conservative, needing to remove less tooth structure, and still provide her patients with the highest possible care.
Crown procedures take two visits. The first visit is the longer visit where Dr. McClintock will prepare the tooth to receive the crown. At the end of that visit, the patient will leave with a provisional restoration. The second visit occurs approximately 2-3 weeks following the first. At the second visit, the patient will leave with their permanent porcelain restoration.
Dental crowns are an effective way to protect a broken tooth or safeguard a tooth from potential disaster. Crowns allow you to chew on a tooth without the fear of it breaking in half down to the nerve.
Big fillings are the culprits. Fillings that are only 20% of the tooth are very safe. You still have 80% of the tooth left to chew on and more than enough tooth left to protect the filling. Big fillings that are 50% or more of the tooth only leave the remaining tooth structure at high risk for fracture. Unfortunately, when these teeth fracture, it is not usually the filling that fractures, but the remaining tooth structure, sometimes leaving the patient with not enough healthy tooth structure left to place a crown on. While both fillings and crowns seal the tooth, crowns both seal AND protect the tooth.
Rather than supplementing tooth structure (like a filling), a dental crown surrounds the entire visible portion of a tooth. Most people think of a crown to repair a broken tooth, but there are many other applications.
- Restore an area of decay too large for a filling.
- Hold a cracked tooth together.
- Strengthen a tooth that has had root canal therapy.
- Build up a tooth that is severely worn.
- Anchor a dental bridge in place.
- Place on dental implant to replace a missing tooth.
- For cosmetic enhancement of a tooth that is badly discolored, or has an unusual shape or size.
Dr. McClintock only uses the highest quality of materials to ensure not just the longevity of the restoration, but safety of the patient. Thanks to developments in materials, she can be more conservative, needing to remove less tooth structure, and still provide her patients with the highest possible care.
Crown procedures take two visits. The first visit is the longer visit where Dr. McClintock will prepare the tooth to receive the crown. At the end of that visit, the patient will leave with a provisional restoration. The second visit occurs approximately 2-3 weeks following the first. At the second visit, the patient will leave with their permanent porcelain restoration.