What to Remember About Getting a Dental Crown

Restoring your tooth with a dental crown may be one of the best things you can do for your smile, depending on your tooth’s specific concern. For example, one of the most common reasons for recommending a dental crown is to restore a tooth that’s been damaged. Placing a custom crown over it will stop the fracture or break from getting worse, improve your tooth’s healthy appearance, and restore your bite’s ability to function properly on that side of your mouth. However, much like your healthy, natural teeth, your dental crown relies on your continued care of it, and there are a few things you should remember about doing so properly.

You should brighten your teeth first

Today’s dental crowns are often created using such high-quality materials, such as porcelain, that they’re nearly indistinguishable from your healthy, natural teeth. Because of this, they can improve your smile’s appearance as much as restore your tooth’s health and integrity. However, if the rest of your teeth need to be brightened, then it may be best to undergo teeth-whitening first. Unlike your tooth structure, dental porcelain won’t respond to teeth-whitening. Yet, after your teeth have been brightened, we can custom-design your crown to match the brighter, healthier color and shade of your new smile.

The crown can be damaged without care

The dental porcelain that many lifelike crowns are made of isn’t just lifelike in appearance, but also durable under the pressures of your bite. To fully restore your tooth, it has to be able to function as the tooth is meant to. However, that doesn’t mean the crown can’t be worn down or damaged. Like your healthy tooth structure, your restoration requires you take proper care of it for it to last. That means practicing excellent hygiene every day to clean it and your teeth, and visiting your dentist regularly for regular examinations and cleanings. It also means taking care not to use your teeth for things other than eating, and to address any bite problems that may develop, such as teeth-grinding (bruxism).

Your tooth is restored, but still damaged

The way dental crowns restore a tooth – by completely capping its visible structure – makes them one of the most comprehensive modern tooth restorations. No matter how advanced, though, no dental restoration can heal your damaged tooth structure, and it’s important to remember that your tooth is still damaged underneath the crown. Things like grinding your teeth too much, or failing to care for your dental crown, will not only compromise the restoration, but also the natural tooth structure that’s underneath it.

Learn more about saving your tooth with a crown

You can save your tooth with a dental crown, but to preserve its health and integrity for life, you’ll have to continue caring for the tooth and its restoration. For more information, schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith and our team by calling Pecan Tree Dental in Grand Prairie, TX, today at (972) 262-5111.