If your smile isn’t what it once was, dental crowns can help to bring back its vibrance. With time and multiple fillings our teeth begin to weaken. Weak teeth are more susceptible to problems like decay, cracks, and discoloration. When your dentist notices that one of your teeth is decayed, cracked, or weakened, a crown might be the best choice to protect the tooth from additional damage.
Most crowns are made from porcelain, porcelain that’s been fused to metal, or gold. If the tooth that needs a crown is less visible, gold may be the right choice for you. Gold is much stronger and longer lasting than porcelain. Unlike porcelain, there is no risk that it will chip or break. It’s commonly used on back molars, where the chewing forces are heavy and more durability is needed.
Many patients choose porcelain for its natural look and feel. Porcelain can be matched to the shade of your other teeth so that your crown doesn’t stand out. At our office, we’re able to make porcelain crowns using advanced CEREC technology. CEREC is a CAD/CAM (computer-assisted design/computer-assisted manufacture) process that makes crowns in one visit, without the problems sometimes associated with a temporary crown. With the CEREC system, Dr. Robertson is able to design, mill, and place a new crown in about two hours. For more information about CEREC, please visit our technology page.
If you aren’t getting a CEREC crown, the process will typically take two visits to our office. During your first visit, the tooth will be reshaped so that the crown can be placed over it. We’ll give you a local anesthetic prior to this procedure so that you don’t feel any discomfort. Once we’ve reshaped the tooth, we will take an impression of it, as well as the surrounding and opposing teeth. That impression will be sent to a dental lab, which will create a crown that fits you perfectly and matches your surrounding teeth. Before you leave, we’ll fit you with a temporary crown.
It will take about two weeks for the crown to arrive at our office. When we’ve received it, we will set up an appointment with you to place and fit the permanent crown. Although some patients don’t find it necessary, you may have a local anesthetic to numb the area during this procedure as well. Please let us know if that would be your preference. We’ll bond the crown to the tooth with strong dental cement, which will ensure the crown stays in place. No matter which material you choose, crowns are very durable and will last about 10-15 years with proper care. Regular brushing and flossing are as good for your crown as they are for your natural teeth.
Dr. Robertson is currently accepting new patients for his general dentistry practice in Morehead City, NC. Dr. Robertson serves the Carteret County area including Beauford, NC, and Atlantic Beach NC. Call us today at 252-726-1461 for more information on becoming one of new patients.
