A Basic Primer on Dental Crowns

Have you heard about dental crowns but are not really sure what they are? Well, fear not. In just a minute or two (depending on how fast you read!) you’ll know all the basic you need to know about what dental crowns are.

A dental crown is basically a cover that gets put over a tooth that doesn’t look so good. Maybe the tooth is chipped or discolored or has some other relatively minor issue you want to cover up. The job of the dental crown is to make your tooth and smile look and feel better.

Dental crowns improves a tooth’s appearance by restoring it’s shape and size. A crown is also able to provide strength in the case of a tooth that’s been weakened. They are also used as a way to cover up a dental implant.

Dental crowns are a permanent cosmetic dentistry treatment option. Your dentist will use a special adhesive to attach the crown to your existing tooth or implant. After the crown is put in your mouth it essentially becomes the new outer surface of your tooth.

Dental crowns can be made out of a number of different materials. Each have their pros and cons. We’ll take a quick look at each here so you know what your options are.

All metal crowns

All metal crowns are the longest lasting crown option. They are also the strongest material that can be used. However, a key drawback with all metal crowns is that they are not the most natural looking option available.

Porcelain fused to metal

This has become quite a popular option. Mainly because they are strong like all metal crowns yet are more realistic looking.

All porcelain or all ceramic

This material provides for the most realistic look (it will be hard for other to tell you have a crown). However, they are not the strongest so are more prone to cracking and may need to be replaced at some point.

All resin crowns

All resin crowns are the weakest material that crowns are made out of. The benefit is that they are also the cheapest option (at least in the short term).