Your teeth are strong and durable, but over time, they might suffer structural damage that will impact their ability to chew and bite as they should. Many of these dental concerns will worsen without treatment from your dentist as well. Fortunately, your dentist can restore your tooth’s structure and protect it from further harm with a dental crown.
You might feel nervous about this multi-step procedure involving adding a dental fixture to your smile. But once you know what to expect from the treatment, you can feel more confident in the dentist’s chair. Read on to learn details about what will occur during each step of the dental crown treatment process.
Initial Dental Consultation
You begin dental crown treatment with an initial consultation appointment with your dentist. During this visit, your dentist will evaluate the extent of the damage to the affected tooth.
They do this to ensure that a crown is the right solution to restore your smile. They will also complete any other treatment, such as removing tooth decay, prior to completing dental restoration with the crown.
Preparing the Affected Tooth
When you and your dentist determine to pursue dental crown treatment, the dentist will then need to prepare the tooth for the cap. This entails removing a minute amount of the tooth’s enamel to make room for the crown. The process will not hurt, and the dentist will give you a local anesthetic to numb the area and further ensure you do not experience discomfort.
Take Impressions of Your Smile
Once your tooth is ready, the dentist will want to take an impression of your smile. This captures an image of your tooth from which a dentist can then construct a customized dental crown. This way, the dentist will be able to create a fixture that fits your tooth both comfortably and securely.
The dentist will also consider the natural size, shape, and color of your surrounding teeth to build a crown that will blend well into your smile while also looking beautiful. After this, they will give you a temporary cap to fit over the affected tooth while they build your personalized crown. This may take several weeks to build in the dental lab.
Secure Your Permanent Dental Crown
Once your custom dental crown is ready, you will return to your dentist’s office to place the cap over your tooth. The dentist can easily remove the temporary crown and then use dental cement to secure the permanent crown to the tooth. Again, this process will not hurt at all.
The dentist will check your bite before you leave the office to ensure that the new fixture does not impact your oral capabilities. However, if you notice it feels loose or otherwise ill-fitting, let your dentist know. The crown might easily break or dislodge if it does not fit properly.
With proper maintenance, your dental crown should remain on your smile for fifteen years. The ceramic material will resist both staining and decay. But you should follow your dentist’s aftercare guidelines to maximize the benefits of this treatment.