What Does The Process Of Getting A Dental Crown Involve?
Do you need a dental crown? What is the process of getting a dental crown? Let’s take a look in more detail at what’s involved.
A dental crown is effective in restoring a tooth that has been damaged due to an accident, injury or decay.
Dental crowns offer effective solutions to a wide range of dental issues such as supporting damaged or decayed teeth, covering a dental implant, protecting a tooth after a root canal procedure, and holding a cracked or broken tooth together.
You need at least two dental visits to get a dental crown. During the first visit, your dentist will examine the affected tooth and prepare it for the crown. They will take an impression of the tooth to construct the crown.
Your dentist may place a temporary crown during the first visit to protect the damaged tooth. The following explains the process of getting a dental crown including:
- Taking an impression of the tooth during the first visit
- Placing the permanent crown during the second visit
- Same-day dental crowns
Taking An Impression Of The Tooth During The First Visit
The first visit to the dentist involves an inspection of the damaged tooth. Your dentist will take a dental x-ray of the affected tooth and jawbone to examine any sign of decay or injury to the tooth.
The dentist will shape the tooth to allow room for the dental crown to be placed. If you choose a metal crown, minimum reshaping is required because the metal crown is thinner compared to a porcelain crown.
Porcelain crowns need more structure removed to place the crown. Any tooth decay will be treated during the first visit to the dentist. If your tooth is severely decayed, it may have little structure to place the crown.
Your dentist will use a filling material to build up the structure of the tooth for the crown. The next step is to create an impression of the tooth to make the dental crown. An impression is made from a paste that holds the shape of the affected tooth.
A temporary crown will be placed on the tooth until the permanent crown is constructed.
Placing The Permanent Crown During The Second Visit
The impression of the tooth is sent to a dental laboratory to create the dental crown. Creation of the permanent crown will take at least 2-3 weeks. Once the crown is created, your dentist will place it over the reshaped tooth.
The temporary crown will be removed before placing the permanent crown. The colour and fit of the permanent crown should match the colour and fit of the natural tooth. Your dentist will check all this before cementing the new crown on the affected tooth.
Before cementing the crown, a local anaesthetic will be administered to the area to numb it. Dental cement is used to place the crown on the tooth.
Your dentist will check if there are issues with the patient’s bite and make the adjustments before permanently cementing the crown.
Same-Day Dental Crowns
Today, same-day dental crowns have become popular in most dental offices. The crown is created in the dental office without having to send it to a dental laboratory for creation. An impression is needed for this type of crown.
A scanning device (Wand) will be used to take pictures of the affected tooth. The image will be uploaded into computer software to create a 3D model of the affected tooth.
This will be used to create the crown the same day and it will save you a lot of time and money when it comes to placing the permanent dental crown.
If you need to visit a dentist for advice on dental crowns or any type of dental procedure, then look no further than Gardens Dental.
Gardens Dental offers a full array of dental services in Taylors Lakes and Caroline Springs to help you and your family maintain healthy teeth.
To learn more about our services or make an appointment, please contact us today on (03) 9449 2626 or through our website.