Dental crowns help to restore and strengthen damaged teeth.

A dental crown is a restoration that covers the entire visible portion of your tooth. Dental crowns are often used to restore teeth after they have been damaged by trauma, decay, or disease. Crowns can also be used to protect weak teeth from further damage and help them function better. A dental crown may be made of a number of materials, including porcelain or porcelain fused to metal, and is constructed so that it will fit over the tooth like a cap on top of the tooth’s natural root structure.

Read on to find out how dental crowns work, and who may benefit from the restorative treatment…

What are crowns used for?

Dental crowns are designed to fit over an entire tooth and can be made of a variety of materials, including porcelain and metal. Crowns are often recommended in cases where one has a particularly large cavity that cannot be treated with a filling. Dental crowns are also often an effective solution for teeth that have suffered severe wear and tear; cracked teeth; and weak or severely decayed teeth.

In many cases, dentists recommend that a crown be placed following a root canal treatment. After root canal treatment, the affected tooth is often weak and needs to be protected from further damage.

Dental crowns are also used in the case of missing teeth and are used in conjunction with dental bridges and implants.

No matter the reason for having a dental crown placed, the restoration will work to restore and strengthen the structure of the tooth and can go a long way in improving both the appearance and function of one’s smile.

How do you take care of a crown?

Once you have had a dental crown placed, it is important that you practice proper oral hygiene in order to enjoy good oral health in the long term, as well as to maintain the condition of your restoration.

It is advisable that you brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and that you floss every day. It is also a good idea to see your dentist for regular check-ups so that any issues can be identified and resolved as early as possible.

In order to make sure that your crown lasts for many years, try to avoid chewing particularly hard foods and objects that can cause your restoration to crack. Chewing on ice, for example, can cause damage to porcelain crowns.

If you have a habit of grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw, it is important that you discuss the issue with your dentist. These habits can cause serious damage to your teeth and restoration and should be addressed in order to prevent damage.

How can we help?

At Blue Star Dental, we offer a range of restorative dentistry services, including dental crowns. If you have a missing or severely weakened tooth that you would like to have restored, we encourage you to come in and see us. We offer a choice of porcelain or porcelain-fused metal crowns, both of which can be matched to the natural colour, shape and functionality of your teeth.

If you decide to go ahead with the treatment, you will need to come in and see us for two appointments. At the initial consultation, your dentist will examine your tooth and take x-rays to determine the severity of the issue and confirm that the treatment is right for you. A mould of your tooth will then be taken, which will be sent to a laboratory where your crown will be fabricated. At your second visit, your permanent crown will be placed.

If you would like to find out more about dental crowns and how they work, please have a look here.

To book an appointment, please contact us here or give us a call on (07) 3801 3499.