Dental crowns are designed to restore both strength and aesthetics to your smile. Since they’re fully customized, they can resolve issues involving asymmetry, texture, and even cracks and chips. Crowns can also protect the teeth from deeper fractures that might otherwise result in tooth extraction. How are these dental wonders constructed? Here’s a closer look at how your dentist will ensure your new dental work looks realistic and feels comfortable. 

Design & Material

Every tooth in your mouth is different, which is why every crown is too. In cases where your existing tooth is available, dentists can send it or a mold into the lab to ensure that the final product looks just like the original. This step is especially important if you lose a highly visible tooth, such as a front incisor. 

There are three varieties of material, including metal, porcelain, and porcelain fused to metal. Metal options can be made from stainless steel or gold and are typically installed on back molars. For more visible teeth, your dentist may recommend either the porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal option, which is tooth-colored and designed to look like your existing teeth when you smile. 

Manufacturing 

Since they’re a fully custom dental product, they typically require two to three visits to have them placed. The first visit involves planning and having your existing tooth reshaped. After the area is numbed with a powerful local anesthetic to keep you comfortable, the enamel of the affected tooth will be gently shaved away to make room for the fitting. 

Next, molds will be taken of the prepared tooth and the surrounding teeth, and these will be sent to the dental lab along with the dentist’s orders. To make it possible to eat and talk until your permanent crown arrives, dentists will place a temporary option with dental cement over the prepared tooth. 

Crowns typically take two to three weeks to arrive back from the dental lab. At this point, you’ll be called in to have the permanent model placed. These can last as long as 15 years, creating a reliable repair that you can count on whether eating or smiling. 

If your teeth could use a makeover, don’t hesitate to reach out to William U. Britton, DDS, MAGD in Chillicothe, OH. With a focus on helping his clients to look and feel their best, this trusted dentist has been helping patients for more than 35 years with everything from crowns and root canals to night guards and gum disease. To find out more about how he can help, visit his website or give his office a call at (740) 772-2225.