Dental Crowns

Before undergoing the dental crown procedure, you must understand that it does not come with a cookie-cutter size that would fit all patients. Our seasoned dentist will discuss with you the ideal crown for you to address your needs. 

Molding your tooth is one of the initial processes he needs to fit the crown to your tooth correctly. After the molding process, lab technicians in the same office premises make it with a custom-designed material before placing it over your tooth with a unique adhesive. You can also be sure that the shade of your crown matches the color of your natural tooth.

Initially, it may take a few hours or days to get used to having the crown attached to your newly-restored and functional tooth, but you will eventually get used to it. Lastly, if at all, you feel pain, the dentist can always prescribe you a painkiller. 

Step 1: Investigation, Tooth Reshaping, Impression, and Temporary Crown

During your first visit to us, we will take an X-ray of your tooth and jawbone to check some signs of decay and other injuries to the tooth's pulp that could become a potential cause of infection. Any tooth decay will be treated beforehand. Sometimes, root canal treatment may also be necessary.

The tooth's top and sides are filed down to make room for the crown to be placed over it. The degree of reshaping depends on the materials your crown is made of. Metal-based crowns are thinner, thus needing less removal of the tooth's structure than porcelain crowns do. A temporary crown will be placed on your tooth first for protection until the permanent crown has been made and is ready to be placed over it.

Step 2: Permanent Crown Placement 

During your second visit, local anesthesia will be injected to numb the treated area. Then, a temporary crown should be removed, assuming that it was placed on your first visit.  The process will ensure that the crown's size and shape fit and the color match your natural tooth before a dental cement joins it over the tooth. It is crucial to ensure that the crown does not clash with the opposite teeth, which could cause a problem with the patient's bite. 

Step 3: Same-Day Crowns Placement Procedure

Sometimes, there is no need to send impressions of dental crowns to a dental laboratory. Instead, it can be produced for 15 minutes and placed on the same day. This method is called computer-aided design and manufacture of dental crowns (CAD/CAM), where images are uploaded into software that prints the tooth's 3-D model made of ceramic material.