Good dental health is an ongoing process, and timing is
essential in nearly every aspect of it. Dental hygiene, i.e., brushing and
flossing, is most effective when it deprives bacteria the time they need to
infect your teeth and gums. Therefore, Dr. Smith (and the ADA) recommends
brushing your teeth at least twice every day, and flossing at least once,
preferably before bed time. Likewise, when your teeth need restorative
treatment, like with a dental crown, the best time to receive it is before your
tooth is too damaged or diseased to save.
Why Cracked Teeth Need Crowns
A dental crown is a
cap that’s designed to mimic the top part of your tooth. When your tooth’s
crown is cracked or broken, a dental crown restoration can save the tooth so
you won’t have to extract it. Since teeth can’t repair themselves, a crack will
only grow worse as the tooth is subjected to pressure. A dental crown helps
hold the tooth together while simultaneously absorbing your bite’s impact and
improving the tooth’s outward appearance.
Isn’t a Dental Filling Enough?
If a cracked tooth is infected, or if you’ve developed a cavity, then Dr. Smith may have to perform a dental filling or root canal
treatment (depending on the severity) before placing a crown over it. A dental
filling describes a manmade material, usually tooth-colored composite resin,
that Dr. Smith places inside a cavity to reinforce the tooth after cleaning and
sanitizing it. The filling helps restore most of the tooth’s structural integrity
while protecting it from reinfection, and a dental crown can add to that
integrity to improve the tooth and filling’s performance.
Replace a Lost Tooth without a Bridge
In prosthetic dentistry, dental crowns are traditionally
used to support a dental bridge. The crowns border an appropriate amount of
replacement teeth, and are attached to the remaining teeth adjacent to the
empty space in your smile. These days, however, dental crowns can replace lost
teeth more effectively when they’re attached to a dental implant. The implant
is inserted into the jawbone, like a tooth’s root, and the crown is attached to
an abutment above the gum line. Together, a dental implant-and-crown
combination offers the most lifelike tooth replacement by mimicking a tooth’s
root-and-crown structure.
About Your Grand Prairie Dentist:
Dr. Quinn Smith is a well-respected and highly experienced
general, cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentist in Grand Prairie, TX. He
takes a patient-first approach that starts from the moment patients enter
our Pecan Tree Dental office, and he
offers a three-year guarantee on all dental work that he performs. Whether
you’re a new or returning patient, you can schedule a consultation or your next
appointment with Dr. Smith by contacting
us at (972) 262-5111.
No comments:
Post a Comment