Dental crowns

What is it

A Dental Crown is a “cap” that covers the entire tooth (after preparation of the tooth), which has been severely damaged and cannot be treated with a more conservative way, such as a Dental Filling. The tooth can be even prepared for aesthetic reasons.

The Dental Crown restores the shape, size, color of the tooth and more generally the aesthetics of the area, as we can repair some defects such as asymmetries in their correct position in the dental arch.

When a crown is inserted it completely covers the visible part of the tooth above the line of sight without appearing unusual or non-aesthetic.

The types of Dental Crowns available depending on the material are:

1. Lithium dipyrite alloy ceramic crowns (porcelain dental crowns)
   Made from whole porcelain, they have the best aesthetic results due to the transparency of the material and impart all the features of a natural tooth. And with a good “make-up” by the dentist the results are extremely up to perfect. It is ideal for anterior teeth when the aesthetic requirements are high.
2. CAD-CAM Zirconium Monolithic Crowns:
   Dental Crowns made of monolithic zirconium CAD-CAM is the most advanced dental prosthesis technology in fixed prosthetics. They have unique strength, and the material they make up allows the light to penetrate it giving them the aesthetic characteristics of a natural tooth. From the standpoint of strength they are superior to simple all-ceramics and zirconia, so their main application is in the rear due to the chewing and the great forces exerted.
3. Metal- ceramic Crowns.
   They are the classic steady Dental Crowns. They have increased durability and are particularly preferred for the back teeth due to their high resistance to pressure and excellent biocompatibility. But for aesthetic reasons they don’t used frequently.

The treatment process

The procedure for placing a Dental Crown on a tooth usually takes 2-3 sessions.

In 1st session:
The dentist starts and prepares the tooth properly so that it can be used as a base for the Dental Crown Placement.

It performs color shade matching to match the color of the selected tooth with the other teeth.

He then takes impressions of the prepared tooth and sends the dental technician to make the crown.

In the 2nd session:
we have the try in of the metal or ceramic frame to ensure its perfect fit with the prepared tooth.

In the 3rd session:
We fit the final prosthesis that is “glued” with special material.

Post-treatment stage

After adhering the crown to the prepared tooth, the patient should not eat anything from side of the crown for at least 3 hours to allow the adhesive material to harden and have the maximum adhesion strength.

If the tooth is vital then the patient may feel slight irritation for 2-3 days, which is quite normal.

The result

The crown will look like a perfectly natural tooth and will not stand out from the rest of the normal teeth.

The average life span of a Dental Crown is about 10 to 15 years depending on the oral hygiene of each patient and how often they visit their dentist.

The patient must know that if he wants to whiten the teeth, he must first finish the whitening treatment and then proceed to the construction of the crown.

And this is because the color of the teeth needs to take its final shade before proceeding to the dyeing process to find the color that the final prosthetic will have.

In general, Dental Crowns and Dental Fillings do not change color with bleaching.

Crown Replacement

A Dental Crown may need to be replaced in the following cases:
1. Crown fracture.
2. Cervical caries (caries at the margins of the crown and tooth).
3. Gum recession (e.g. due to gingivitis or excessive brushing).
4. Discoloration of the Dental Crown.