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To understand dental crown assessment and restoration, we must first dive into the basics of a dental crown.

What Is A Dental Crown?

In the dentistry world, a dental crown is also known as a dental cap. This is a type of dental unit that is used to restore the structure and strength of an otherwise weak natural tooth. Additionally, a crown is also used to replace missing teeth, as in the form of a dental implant.

When Would I Require A Dental Crown?

There are numerous instances where a dental crown will be advised by your dentist. Some of them are – 

What Steps Are Involved In Getting A Dental Implant?

Getting fitted with a dental crown is an outpatient procedure. However, it does involve a couple of appointments with the dentist to complete the treatment.

Assessment

As usual, the first step is always an assessment of the patient’s oral cavity. No procedure, crowns or otherwise, can be performed without the dentist thoroughly examining the patient’s general and oral health.

Choice Of Restoration

Once the assessment is complete and the dentist has given the go-ahead, they will sit and discuss your crown options with you. The type of dental crown used depends on different factors – some of them are explained below.

Tooth Preparation

Everything about Dental Crowns

To make space for the dental crown to fit, the tooth in question needs to be “prepared”. This involves carefully shaving away the natural enamel to create room for the crown.

Impressions

When the dentist is satisfied with the tooth preparation, they will take impressions of the upper and lower jaws. Once the casts have been created, they will send them to the dental lab for crown fabrication.

In the meantime, they might fit you with a temporary restoration until the crown arrives.

Assessing The Final Fit

Porcelain Crowns at Brooklyn Blvd Dental. Brooklyn Center, MN

When the dental crown is sent back to the dentist’s office (usually in a couple of days), the crown is placed on the prepared tooth. This is done to check the fit of the crown.

If it fits snugly and properly, the dentist will perform final checks and then proceed to cement the crown into place. Once set, the dentist will remove any excess dental cement (used to fix the crown) and take care of any issues with the patient’s bite.

To make sure that you get the most out of your crown, you will be asked to follow proper oral hygiene. This includes brushing, flossing, and avoiding habits like smoking.

What Are The Types Of Dental Crown Assessment?

Similar to any other dental treatment, patients have to undergo a dental crown assessment to ensure that they can be fitted with one. Furthermore, an assessment is also performed to figure out the longevity of the dental crown.

Numerous factors are involved during the assessment for a dental crown. These are as follows – 

Patient Factors

These factors are personal to the patient and include –

Biological Factors

Biological factors include the general condition of the patient’s oral cavity.

Mechanical Factors

The mechanical factors of crown assessment include the tooth in question, namely – 

Aesthetic Factors

The aesthetic factors are also important in dental crown assessment. The material used for the crown is based on how visible the tooth is when smiling. Furthermore, it could also be the patient’s choice.

What Are The Types Of Dental Crown Restoration?

The different types of dental crown restorations can be categorized into two – 

The percentage of crown coverage divides the category into two types – 

Full Crowns

As the name suggests, the entire portion of the natural tooth is covered by the crown. All of the surfaces are covered and protected by dental restoration.

3/4 and 7/8 Crowns

Contrary to full crowns, ¾ and 7/8 crowns cover only certain areas of the tooth in question. For instance, a ¾ crown covers three of the four walls of the tooth, the one facing the cheek is usually spared.

Despite the obvious advantage of lesser tooth preparation, these crowns aren’t normally used due to them being technically difficult. Furthermore, patients don’t prefer them either due to aesthetic concerns.

Dental crowns are of the following types when it comes to the kind of material used to make them – 

Full Metal Crowns

As understood, these crowns are made entirely of metal. The kind of metal alloy used to fabricate the crown depends on –

Full Ceramic Crowns

Full ceramic crowns are usually used by dentists because of their aesthetic advantages. However, full ceramic crowns are pretty brittle and can fracture easily. These are usually made of –

Metal-Ceramic Crowns

A hybrid of metal and ceramic crowns, these are the most popular kind of dental crown restorations used in a dentist’s office. They are also known as PFM or Porcelain-Fused-To-Metal crowns.

The base of the crown is a metal alloy and it is topped off with a porcelain finish. This gives the crown the durability it requires (via the metal) and the aesthetic finish (via the porcelain).

PFM crowns can be used everywhere in the oral cavity, making them highly requested.

To find out more about dental crowns offered at Brooklyn Boulevard Dental, call us at (763) 533-8669

Our address:

Brooklyn BLVD Dental

5831 Brooklyn Blvd, Brooklyn Center, MN 55429, United States

Phone: (763) 533-8669

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