A guide to dental crowns to preserve damaged natural teeth and fill gaps in the smile

Crowns are, indeed, a crowning achievement in dentistry! Here at New Leaf Dental, we can use dental crowns in various ways – to rebuild a portion of a tooth or to replace missing teeth.  

Sink your teeth into the process  

Not unlike other procedures available at our practice in Meridian, Idaho, Drs Nathan Williams, and Adam Dixon start the crowns process with an examination. They use sophisticated diagnostics, such as cone beam CT scanners to capture very detailed images of your teeth and surrounding structures. They also get to know you as the unique individual that you are! You are not just a pretty smile to us. So, your preferences are also factored into any treatment recommendations they make.  

The crown itself is shaped from a variety of different dental materials, including metals (like gold) or ceramics (like porcelain). Some popular crowns also include a metal core surrounded by an attractive ceramic covering. So, you get the strength of the metal and the lovely, toothlike appearance associated with ceramics like porcelain.  

Once the crown is made from the materials of your choice, suited to your needs, it is placed over the natural tooth. The damaged tooth, too, is “prepared.” Preparation involves removing any diseased tissues. Then, the tooth is shaped. The idea is for the crown to fit over the tooth seamlessly, kind of like a well-fitting crown or cap fits over a person’s head.

A few of the ways that crowns are used to rebuild a person’s smile and restore their health and function are listed below:  

• To build up a decayed or badly eroded tooth
• To hold an extremely worn or severely fractured tooth together 
• To replace a large or worn filling; large fillings make the affected tooth susceptible to further decay and reinfection
• To cover up a badly misshapen or stubbornly discolored tooth 
• To support the anchor, neighboring teeth in a dental bridge; these anchors hold the replacement tooth (pontic) in place
• To restore implants in the jaw, as the finishing touch on implant-retained tooth replacement  

Crowns often follow root canal therapy. These and other endodontic procedures may be the last-ditch way to preserve a severely damaged tooth. In general, all-natural teeth have crowns. This white, visible part of the tooth above the gum line can be threatened in numerous ways. The crowns that we design and place replace damaged, natural crowns. These replacement crowns should be cared for like natural teeth. They require consistent good hygiene at home and regular visits to our office for professional cleanings and exams. Get into a healthy habit today – schedule your appointment by calling New Leaf Dental at (208) 896-2284.