Dental Crowns Are Often Necessary Over Dental Fillings

Dental crowns are a very commonly used restoration process by dentists to fix a number of problems with your teeth. The science and technology behind dental crowns have been used for a number of years though the methods and materials that we use have changed and improved significantly. Most people are aware of what crowns do, how they can be effective, and that they are one of the best ways to correct dental issues like a chipped or broken tooth. By the same token, many people are wary of getting a procedure done if they perceive it to be unnecessary or too expensive. With crowns, insurance typically pays for a portion of it while the patient has to pay the rest. Given this, we work with you to fully understand what the health issue is and how we can best address it. If we recommend dental crowns, you can be sure that is the most efficient way for us to maintain your oral health.

Restoration tools, like dental crowns, are custom made in a laboratory using the measurements and imprints that we take of the patient's teeth. This process ensures that the restoration is an excellent fit for the patient's teeth. Dental crowns are also commonly known as dental caps because once we install them, they cover the entire tooth and form a cap over the top of it. Once in place, an implant provides stability, strength, and the ability for the tooth to heal, when necessary, at a normal pace.

Two vital functions are performed by the crowns

First, the dental crowns provide strength and support for the tooth. A tooth that sustains damage will often cause the mouth to compensate, affecting the way one chews and can even lead to misaligned teeth. When placing the crown, it helps the tooth to remain healthy and functional. With functional and healthy dental implants, there is no need for the surrounding teeth to compensate.

Second, the dental crowns work to reduce any chance of an infection or chances of the bacteria spreading to other areas in the mouth. Often a crown will cover a tooth that has bad levels of decay and is spreading that bacteria throughout the mouth. We will install the crown to mitigate this process after we remove all of the infection.

When considering the pros and cons of having a dental crown installed, it is important to understand that there are certain conditions that cannot be resolved using fillings, for example. There are a few cases where we will almost certainly recommend that you have a dental crown placed. For example, a badly chipped, cracked, or damaged tooth requires attention immediately. Cracks can spread, chips can get infected, and if the tooth is so damaged that it requires attention chances are that we will need to put on a crown to limit and correct the damage. Also, if a previous filling, of fillings, is so big that it is no longer effective, our Reading dental office can place a crown around it.