Do you know that the tooth has a visible and a non-visible part? That's how it is! The part of the tooth visible in the mouth is called the crown, we use it to eat and it has to be strong and hard. The portion that stays under the gum, inside the bone, is called the root. The crown can be natural or artificial.
In this article when we talk about dental crown we will refer to the artificial crown.
What is an artificial dental crown?
An artificial dental crown is a cover for our teeth. It is as if it were a natural dental crown but it is made of a different material than our teeth and because it has the shape of a natural crown so that it can replace the latter in cases where it is needed.
When is a dental crown needed?
In all those cases in which we need our teeth to be stronger and prettier, we will use dental crowns. In particular they will be needed:
- When a tooth has a lot of reconstruction material and little healthy tooth tissue remaining
- In devitalized teeth because when losing vitality they become weak and / or dark
- In teeth with very dark colorations
- In broken teeth that we cannot reconstruct with simple fillings
- In very worn teeth due to some pathologies or bad habits
- When we have aesthetic demands on shape and size
- When we place an implant (which will be like our root, the portion that is not seen in the mouth because inside the bone) to cover it.
What material are dental crowns made of?
There are several types of materials on the market:
- Metal-porcelain crowns: they have the inner part of metal and the outer part of porcelain, in such a way that resistance and strength are achieved on the one hand, and good aesthetics on the other.
- Zirconium crowns: they are very resistant and have excellent aesthetics. If we compare it with a metal crown is much lighter and have up to twice the resistance. They are the best aesthetically but also the most expensive.
- Metal crowns.
- Resin crowns (provisional): it is a fairly soft material compared to the enamel of our teeth and metal-porcelain or zirconium. They are often used to protect ground teeth in the period between measurements and cementation of the dental crown.
How is a dental crown applied?
In order for our crown to fit on the tooth and adapt well we need to sand the piece, reduce it in size to be able to cover it with the crown, this is called carving the tooth. In cases of high sensitivity is necessary, before carving the tooth, make an endodoncy so that the patient does not have problems later hypersensitivity. In all those cases in which it can be avoided, it is always better to keep a vital tooth but in some cases it is necessary to devitalize them.
Once the tooth has been carved, the impression is taken to make our crown.
The period of time that elapses between the taking of impression and the application of the definitive crown can vary and it is good norm during this time that our carved tooth is protected by a provisional crown that usually is of resin.
Once our definitive crown has arrived, the dentist will adapt it to our tooth with a specific cement for these.
Do crowns bother?
No. Well made dental crowns do not hurt or bother and replace a natural crown so that no one can notice that your tooth has a cover (except your dentist, of course!).
How long does a dental crown last?
The duration of a dental crown depends on many factors. The more care we take, the longer it will last, of course. Good oral hygiene and regular check-ups at the dentist are the keys to success.
Care when eating very hard foods is also important, if you think that a natural crown can be broken by eating very hard things you have to be more careful when wearing an artificial crown.
The age and oral health of the patient are also related to its duration. We can say that on average a crown can last many years but it is your dentist who can answer this question knowing your situation.
It is important to know that:
A tooth that wears an artificial crown has the risk of falling out like a natural tooth. The plaque accumulates along the gingival edge and for that it is essential to take care of artificial crowns as natural teeth are taken care of and checks are recommended once a year so that the dentist can find out if the tooth that is under the artificial crown is in good condition.
