Dental crowns, or caps, are restorative solutions that repair damaged teeth and improve their appearance. They can also protect sensitive or broken teeth and prevent serious oral health issues from arising.
Patients can choose from a variety of crown materials and styles. Porcelain, ceramic, and zirconia crowns are highly regarded for their natural-looking appearance and durability.
Durability
A crown completely encases a damaged tooth to restore its size, shape, strength, and appearance while hiding flaws like chips or discoloration. Our cosmetic dentists craft dental crowns Madison AL from durable materials that can withstand chewing and grinding forces to ensure long-lasting functionality. They also match the color and texture of your natural teeth for a seamlessly beautiful smile.
Metal crowns offer a great combination of durability and strength, making them ideal for molars that endure heavy chewing pressure. They can also last 10 years or more with proper care. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns combine a sturdy ceramic with an attractive metallic finish. However, they may chip easily.
Feldspathic porcelain crowns have a translucent core of dentin-colored tetragonal zirconia, which produces color dynamics that are closer to the natural tooth than monolithic zirconia. However, they may chip or stain more quickly than other types of crowns. Our team will help you navigate the different types of dental crowns to find your best option.
Aesthetics
While crowns encase a damaged tooth to protect it from further harm, they also enhance your smile’s aesthetic. Crafted from ceramic, porcelain, or a resin composite, dental crowns are indistinguishable from natural teeth. Your dentist can select a shade that matches your smile to ensure the new restoration blends in seamlessly.
Tooth-colored crowns are often covered by insurance. They are a cost-effective cosmetic treatment for chipped, discolored, or misshapen teeth. In addition, they help restore weakened teeth that cannot support a full restoration, such as a dental bridge or implant.
Dental crowns are commonly used in conjunction with dental bridges and implants to replace missing or extensively damaged teeth. The dental crowns at the center of the bridge or implant hold the pontic (a replacement tooth) in place, which prevents shifting and crookedness from occurring among the other remaining teeth. They can also be used to conceal the abutment of the prosthetic from view.
Functionality
Dental crowns are custom-designed to cap a tooth, restoring its shape, size and strength. They can protect weakened teeth, cover up cosmetically flawed teeth and support dental bridges or dental implants.
They are often made of porcelain, ceramic or metal. Porcelain crowns are popular for their natural-looking appearance and durability. They are especially popular for front teeth since they closely mimic the color and translucency of real teeth, but also offer the resilience of a solid material.
Metal crowns are a good choice for molars or other areas of the mouth that experience excessive wear. They are extremely durable and offer a level of protection that other materials cannot match, but they may not be ideal for patients with certain types of gum disease.
Another option is a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown. This type of crown has a metal core that is hidden behind the porcelain or ceramic that covers it. It is a great option for those with bruxism, because it can absorb the impact of teeth grinding and jaw clenching without compromising the longevity of the crown.
Long-Term Benefits
Dental crowns are a significant upfront investment, but they provide long-term benefits in terms of durability and functionality. They are a popular solution for many dental issues, including large cavities that cannot be repaired with a filling, fractured or broken teeth, and discolored teeth that can be difficult to cover with a white filling.
They are made from durable materials like porcelain and ceramic, allowing them to provide aesthetic enhancement and durability. They are also highly resistant to damage and decay when individuals prioritize oral hygiene and attend regular dental checkups.
They can repair misalignment, discoloration, and other cosmetic problems, leaving patients with a healthy and attractive smile. Additionally, they can reinforce weakened or damaged teeth to prevent future damage and protect the surrounding tooth structure. When properly cared for, dental crowns Madison AL can last for decades. They are the preferred restorative treatment for most dental professionals. Dental veneers, on the other hand, are thin shells that focus on improving a tooth’s front surface for a brighter smile.
