A crown is a synthetic cap, most commonly used to restore a broken, weak, decayed or damaged tooth. Here at Cornerhouse Dental, we create crowns to be in-keeping with your smile and facial aesthetic, taking factors like your eye, hair and skin colour into account.
Other uses of a crown include:
- Protect a tooth after a root canal procedure.
- Cover a dental implant.
- Improve the appearance of a tooth by changing the colour or shape.
Once upon a time, dental technology did not allow the dental crown procedure and the only way of dealing with a severely decayed tooth was extraction. In today’s times, dentists will do everything to avoid extraction.
On average, dental crowns can last 10/20 years depending on how well they are maintained – the more effectively you brush and floss, the longer they will last.
The process behind preparing and fitting a crown
Following an initial consultation, your dentist will study the tooth to ensure that it is strong enough to support a crown. The crown will then be filed down to prepare for the crown which involves removing some of your tooth enamel to make your crown the ideal thickness, in the context of your mouth as a whole. If your tooth is very badly damaged, your dentist here at Cornerhouse may need to fill it in to render it large enough to receive the crown.
Once the tooth has been filed or filled accordingly, we will take an impression of the tooth being treated and indeed the surrounding teeth, which will be sent away to the dental lab in order for your permanent crown to be made up.
Crowning – some FAQs
Q. Is the crowning process painful?
A. The location surrounding the tooth that is being crowned will numbed with local anaesthetic throughout the procedure, so you will not feel anything that your dentist is doing. You may experience some discomfort once the anaesthetic has worn off, though this will be minimal and not long-lasting.
Q. How does the crown remain on the tooth?
A. Your dentist will use a highly effective special cement to fix the crown.
Q. How much do crowns cost?
A. Here at Cornerhouse Dental, a general price indicator is around £450.00.
If you would like more information about cosmetic dentistry at Cornerhouse, please do not hesitate to contact us.