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Crowns and Bridges
What is a crown and when is it applied ?
A
crown is an artificial restoration that fits over the remaining part of a
prepared tooth, making it strong and giving it the shape of a natural tooth.
It involves covering the surface of a tooth completely using an esthetic
material, generally made of porcelain. This procedure will also involve diminishing the tooth
size circumferentially by 1 mm by cutting down on it. It aims to beautify,
strengthen and protect the tooth.
Crowns
are placed in the following cases:
·
to restore a large filling when no
adequate tooth support is available,
·
to prevent feeble teeth from cracking,
·
as an artificial tooth fitted onto an
implant
·
to cover cracked, deformed or stained
teeth.
What is the most suitable material for
crowns ?
Your
dentist will decide on this topic after a thorough assessment of your teeth’s
condition. At present, most preferred materials are veneers made of porcelain
or metal-supported porcelain veneers. The only difference between these two
types is that whole porcelain veneers are more esthetical.
How long does the placement of a crown
take ?
A
crown is completed in 3 visits on the average. It could also be accomplished
in 2 visits in urgent cases. Time interval between visits amounts to 2 to3 days.
Your dentist will make the necessary preparations on your teeth, will clean
decayed parts if any and take an impression to obtain an accurate mold of the relevant
teeth. After being crafted according to this mould, your crown will be placed
on its site. If you and your dentist are fully satisfied with its appearance
and position, your crown is then bonded permanently.
How are crowns cared for ?
You
should brush your teeth twice and floss once daily. In order to prevent the
veneers from being cracked or damaged,
you should abstain from biting on hard foods such as nuts. Regular visits to
your dentist will also extend the lifespan of your crowns.
How does a completed crown look ?
The main
objective is that it looks as closest as possible to a natural tooth. To
achieve this goal, a suitable-sized crown
will be crafted in accordance with the color, form and chewing function of
your natural teeth.
Why are crowns needed ?
They
are needed for your appearance, tooth health and proper tooth and jaw
functions. A crown can help preserve
the natural look of your face and support your lip-and cheek. The loss of a
molar tooth could cause your face to look older and tired-off than it really is. More importantly,
non-replacement of missing teeth could interfere with your oral and dental
health. Every tooth is designed in such a way as to complete the function of
the neighboring tooth. When a tooth is lost, neighboring teeth move or slope
towards the cavity of the lost tooth in the course of time. The tooth on the opposite jaw tilts
towards the empty space. These unusual tooth movements cause distress upon
both teeth and gums.
In
addition to all this, the gums and bone tissues are damaged. The remaning
teeth become more prone to decay, because
normal tooth relations are prevented and physiologic cleaning is interfered
with. Missing teeth have a negative impact on chewing and speech. Proper
speech is only possible with a full number of teeth, as teeth help create a
lot of sounds. Furthermore, unilateral
chewing exerts a pathological workload on the temporomandibular joints.
What is a crown essentially ?
It is
a form of therapy that fill in the spaces
arising as a result of multiple missing teeth, and involves removing
most
of the outer surface of neighboring teeth and covering them. Crowns are then
bonded permanently onto these prepared
teeth.
How should we protect the crowns ?
It is
of upmost importance to protect the healthy teeth in our mouth. We should
brush out teeth twice daily and clean using interdental teeth cleansers.
Cleaners help remove sticky germ layer called “plaque”. Germs cause
“plaques”, gum diseases and tooth decay. The crown could lose its tooth
support when the tooth or its supporting tissues are somehow damaged.
Especially the tissues surrounding and underlying the crown and the
connecting regions between the crown and natural teeth should be cleaned with
care. Dental floss and special brushes will help reach these sites. Most
importantly, you should visit your dentist regularly. The responsibility
assumed by the dentist during the stages of preparation and fitting of a
crown is the most important factor determining the lifespan of the crown.
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