Crowns to the rescue! FAQs about one of dentistry’s most versatile procedures
At your home for accessible and approachable dentistry in Homewood, Illinois, dental crowns play an invaluable role in rebuilding our patients’ most healthy, beautiful, and attractive smiles.
What are dental crowns?
Think of each crown as a covering or shell designed to strengthen a tooth that is weakened due to dental disease or trauma. Our dentists, Drs James J. Kreuz, Gregory J. Duffner, and Alex J. Dolinar, use an array of dental materials to make the crown. Once the crown is made, they secure it to the vulnerable natural tooth. This restores the strength, health, and appearance of the tooth.
What materials do you use?
Today’s dentists have many options to rebuild teeth with crowns, as well as with fillings, bridges, and dentures. These options include metal alloys, non-metal ceramics, or a fusion of both metals and ceramics like porcelain. Our dentists evaluate your teeth, discuss your preferences and goals, and also walk you through the pros and cons of each type of material before making recommendations. Factors influencing their recommendations range from the location of the concerned tooth to its function. Fortunately, there are many ways that we can support utmost durability and the most brilliant and lifelike appearance with advanced, modern materials and techniques.
Are crowns just to treat damage?
Crowns are incredibly versatile! They may be an appropriate option for patients with more extensive cosmetic needs, which cannot be adequately addressed with less invasive and more conservative options like bonding and porcelain veneers. Suitable candidates include those patients with very misshapen, worn, and irregularly shaped “chewing teeth.” The crown may be applied over the cosmetically challenging tooth to cover up imperfections and to reshape and resize the tooth effectively.
Do I need a crown after root canal therapy?
Yes! Crowns are essential to restore the strength of the tooth. If you fail to get a crown applied promptly following root canal treatment, your tooth is vulnerable to future damage. We advise you when to place a crown on a treated tooth to preserve it permanently.
What if my tooth can’t be saved?
Here again, crowns come to the rescue! They may replace a tooth that cannot be repaired with restorations, root canal therapy, and other procedures. Crowns secure teeth within a dental bridge and restore an implant anchored in the jawbone, functioning as a tooth root to stabilize the connected dental crown or prosthetic tooth.
What can I expect at Park Avenue Dental Care?
Your friends in Homewood, IL, start by ensuring any damage is removed. The tooth is reshaped prior to cementing or securing the crown in place. To find out more about the steps involved, give us a call today at (708) 798-6868. During a visit, we assess your suitability for crowns or other procedures, as needed, and welcome any specific questions you may have!
