Dental Crowns

While a filling covers only a small area of the tooth, a dental crown completely wraps almost all of the visible areas of the tooth, creating a new outer surface for your tooth, much like the original enamel.

Our porcelain crowns are a custom covering that is placed over a tooth that is either damaged, broken, has a crack and in other special situations. Crowns can be made of several materials such as porcelain, gold, resin or a mix of these.

Grinding, improper bite, trauma, stress and decay are also reasons crowns are placed. A crown adds strength, longevity, and comfort to your chewing.

Dr.Melnick will usually be able to see problems that can lead to major damage and he usually can tell when the tooth is in need of a crown. Chewing patterns play a big role in tooth breakage and they are frequently checked as well.

Our crowns are each custom made in a dental laboratory that specializes in porcelain restorations and made layer upon layer to give them the natural and the slightly translucent appearance of natural teeth.

Dental crowns offer many advantages over dental fillings because they are made in the dental laboratory. There the technician can examine the bite and movement from various angles, and construct the crown for a perfect fit to the tooth and bite. This ensures a great deal of the comfort when eating and a long lasting restoration.

To make a crown your dentist will first prepare the tooth by removing all problem areas such as decay and old silver fillings and then a thin layer all the way around the tooth. Then he will make a mold of the tooth. Soon after that a dental laboratory will begin to fabricate your crown. You will usually leave the office with a temporary crown to keep you comfortable while the permanent crown is being made. This process takes about ten days because there are many complex steps that are needed. When ready, the permanent crown is then fixed to your tooth with special dental cement in a short easy appointment. Normally two visits to your dentist are required for the procedure. Often a temporary protective restoration of your tooth may be needed before a crown can be placed. Temporary tooth crowns can last up to fifteen days.

Sometimes people worry, but only rarely a dental crown or a temporary crown will come off, in which case the crown should be replaced as soon as possible due to tooth sensitivity, appearance and the stability of the teeth. In case that this happens, please call us soon for instructions. While this loss is certainly important, it is not an emergency unless there is substantial sensitivity. Never the less, we are always here to help you.

A dental crown looks and feels much the same as your original tooth, and most people will not be able to tell the difference. Our goal is to make so well that your new dental crown will enhance the look of your smile, feel good and provide the many benefits we have described.

Once the procedure is completed, proper dental hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing, is necessary to maintain the teeth, gums and to prevent damage to the crowns. Given proper care, your crowns can last a lifetime.