Dental crowns are the most popular restorative treatment among patients. A crown protects and strengthens, giving you a healthy and attractive smile. Whether you’re seeking cosmetic enhancement or saving a broken tooth, there are lots of reasons to consider a crown.
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a prosthetic “crown” or cap placed over the entire visible part of the tooth. Crowns are made of strong, durable porcelain tinted to match the rest of your teeth.
Your provider cements the crown over the top of the tooth that’s misaligned or damaged. It’s not removable, so you never have to worry about it slipping or falling out.
Reasons to Get a Dental Crown
Dental crowns offer many cosmetic and functional uses.
Protection
Our experts save your natural whenever possible. Protective dental crowns preserve a cracked, chipped, or fractured tooth. If you ignore a broken tooth, it eventually leads to serious, painful problems, ultimately resulting in tooth loss.
Cosmetic Defects
You can say goodbye to discoloration with a dental crown made of materials that can match the exact color of your natural teeth. In addition, a crown can also fix teeth that are misshapen, crooked, or too small, enhancing your smile all around.
Tooth Decay
Bacteria in your mouth causes tooth decay, and it’s one of the most common reasons for getting a dental crown. You might experience cavities as tooth decay attacks every layer of your tooth. The crown protects the entire tooth, including the sensitive nerves and blood vessels that can cause severe pain if damaged. Crowns prevent tooth decay from progressing.
Strengthen a Weak Tooth
As a preventive measure, your dentist may use a dental crown to protect a weak tooth that could fracture. If a cavity has severely damaged your tooth, a dental crown will add an extra layer of protection from physical damage and bacteria.
Improved Digestion
Eating is difficult with missing or damaged teeth. Chewing food thoroughly helps your gastrointestinal tract by making food easier to swallow and digest. Your hard tooth enamel protects the dentin and pulp in each tooth. A dental crown also provides this protection, making it easier to chew.
Restore Missing Teeth
The absence of a tooth causes your jawbone to deteriorate and make you feel self-conscious about your smile. Fortunately, a dental crown guarantees jawbone strength and a bright, confident smile.
Dental Bridge Support
Your dentist attaches an artificial tooth to a dental bridge to replace one or more missing teeth. Artificial teeth are cemented into place with crowns on either side of a missing tooth or teeth. This protects and supports your oral health.
Protect Sensitive Teeth After a Root Canal
If you’ve had a root canal, your tooth’s structure needs to be restored. A dental crown provides a protective cap over the tooth, preventing root canal infections.
Why Does a Crown Break?
Dental crowns are typically made of porcelain or ceramic for a natural appearance and exceptional durability. While crowns can last up to 20 years, any of these habits or incidents can cause them to break:
- Grinding your teeth (Bruxism)
- Eating foods that are sticky or hard to eat
- Sports-related accidents
- Mouth injuries
- The effects of time
You might not be able to figure out why your crown broke, and it may not have been your fault.
Taking Care of Your Broken Crown
You can do a few things right away to reduce your discomfort if your crown breaks. If you take care of your broken crown as quickly as possible, you can prevent other more serious problems from occurring.
Take a look in the mirror at the broken crown first. With your tongue, feel for sharpness or other issues around the tooth. If there is any discomfort, let the dentist know. If you’re unable to touch, speak, chew, or breathe without pain, use over-the-counter painkillers and call Danville Family Dentistry as soon as you can.
In the meantime, try not to swallow any loose crowns and use denture adhesive to keep everything in place.
What Happens if I Don’t Repair a Broken Crown?
If you don’t fix your broken crown, you could face other complications. Your tooth becomes vulnerable to decay without a crown. It can become inflamed or infected with bacteria.
Over-the-counter painkillers can control mild discomfort, but they don’t work the same way for severe tooth sensitivity caused by a broken crown. Pain can also make it difficult to chew or drink enough water.
Visit Us As Soon As Possible
Unless you have severe pain, bleeding, or sharp pain surrounding your tooth, you may not need to see a dentist right away.
Taking care of your dental crowns as you would your natural teeth prevents damages and ensures a long lifespan. A modern crown lasts 10 to 20 years when properly cared for. Regular checkups, brushing, and flossing keep teeth, gums, and crowns healthy.
To make an appointment with an expert at Danville Family Dentistry, call us today at (317) 745-4400.
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Disclaimer: The information included in this article is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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