Crowns are necessary when a tooth is generally broken down and fillings will no longer restore proper function. If a tooth is cracked a crown holds the tooth together to seal the cracks so the damage doesn’t get worse. Crowns are also used to support a large filling when there isn’t enough of the tooth remaining, attach a bridge, protect weak teeth from fracturing, restore fractured teeth, or cover badly shaped or discolored teeth. Crowns may be placed on natural teeth or dental implants.
Nowadays, there are several types of crowns available to you. The traditional kind is a porcelain-fused to metal, where the inner layer of the crown is a non-precious metal. The disadvantages of using such a metal are the following: poor esthetics – unnatural looking crown with a gray line along the gum-line; gum irritation in people with metal allergies; this metal alloy usually contains beryllium, known to cause cancer.
Much better options are metal-containing various percentages of gold, 88% gold (Captek) being the best to date. These crowns look very life-like, distinguished by a very good fit due to better casting of gold containing alloys. Also, these metals are very highly polished which prevent bacteria living in micro-pores from colonizing along the edge of the crown. Thus the gum around this type crown stays clean and healthy.
Another popular option is the all-porcelain crown. It could be fabricated from different porcelain/ceramic materials. Lately, they proved to be as strong as conventional crowns, with better aesthetics. Still, there are several factors that need to be taken into consideration when choosing this kind of crown, the most important being your bite – the way your teeth come together, and the need to cut a lot of the tooth structure away to provide for adequate thickness of such crown.
Sometimes crowns and bridges can become loose or fall out from the damage caused by chewing hard foods, ice, or other hard objects. Dental disease that causes tooth or bone loss is another reason crowns or bridges may loosen over time.
By practicing good oral hygiene, however, crowns and bridges can last a lifetime. Brush at least twice a day, floss or clean between your teeth with interdental brushes or water flossers at least once a day, and consider using other helpful products like antimicrobial mouth rinses and tongue scrapers. Be sure to see your dental professional for regular cleanings – not only to keep your teeth pearly white and bacteria-free but also to check the health of your crown or your bridge. Whether you and your dentist decide on a crown or a bridge for your replacements, we hope your new teeth make you smile.
