A dental crown is a great way to preserve your natural tooth. The full coverage restorations help to protect the integrity of your bite, while also enhancing how it looks. But here are four things that you might not have known about dental crowns:
They Need to be Flossed Around
The margin of your crown is the area where the restoration meets your tooth. This area needs to be flossed daily. Otherwise, bacteria could creep in under the crown and cause an entirely new area of decay. Even worse, it might not be possible to spot it on an x-ray, depending on how far the decay reaches.
You Can Break a Crown
Your crown isn’t made of indestructible titanium, like a dental implant. Don’t use it to open bottles or tear apart packages…or do anything that you wouldn’t do with a natural, healthy tooth.
Yes, There are Still Gold Options
Most crowns are made from porcelain. Durable and aesthetic, porcelain crowns blend in well with your smile. But sometimes gold is still used, especially for upper back teeth that take on a lot of biting and chewing forces day after day.
You Need to Have Enough Healthy Tooth to Anchor a Crown in Place
A crown can only be anchored on top of a tooth when there is enough structure to support it. Enamel that is worn or completely broken off to the gumlines does not leave you with enough tooth to stabilize a “cap.” In some cases a buildup or post can help, but otherwise the tooth will need to be pulled.
Visit Lane Family Dental in Wasilla to find out if your tooth needs a crown!
Posted on Behalf of Lane Family Dental
