Porcelain Crowns

What Are Porcelain Crowns?

Porcelain crowns are a type of dental crown. These are hollow, custom-made dental restorations used to cover teeth. Porcelain crowns are tooth-shaped “caps” that are placed on teeth to cover the visible portion entirely. They are a permanent restoration.

Why Would Someone Require Porcelain Crowns?

Porcelain crowns are mainly used to restore the structure (shape and size), strength, and functionality of an affected tooth. Additionally, porcelain crowns also improve the tooth’s appearance.

Your dentist will advise a crown in the following scenarios –

If you have a weak tooth that needs to be protected. Teeth are usually weakened by decay. Porcelain crowns protect teeth by either preventing them from fracturing or holding them together.
If you have a large filling, a crown will cover and support the tooth.
To restore a broken tooth.
To restore length on a worn-down tooth.
If you require a cosmetic modification, such as reshaping or closing spaces between teeth.
To help hold a dental bridge in place
To replace a missing tooth by placing it on top of an implant.
To cover teeth that have undergone root canal therapy.

What Are The Steps Involved In Porcelain Crowns?

If you have to be fitted with a porcelain crown, you will make two trips to your dentist at Spring Creek. The first visit involves the examination and preparation of the tooth in question. The second visit involves placing the porcelain crown on the tooth.

First Visit: Examination and Tooth Preparation

Before they begin the process, your dentist might advise a couple of X-rays to assess the roots of the affected tooth and the surrounding bone. If the x-ray depicts extensive decay or risk of injury or infection to the tooth’s pulp, a root canal treatment is performed before beginning the porcelain crown process.

The first step of the porcelain crown process is numbing the tooth and the gum tissue surrounding the tooth. This is done by injecting local anesthesia and allowing it some time to set in.

Next, the surface of the tooth receiving the crown is shaved down along the sides and the top to create space for the porcelain crown. In case a large area of the tooth is missing (due to damage or decay), your dentist will “build up” the tooth with a filling material to support the crown.

Once the crown is reshaped, your dentist will use impression material (a putty or paste) to create an impression of the tooth. Impressions are also taken of the tooth above to prevent any issues with bite once the crown is placed.

In cases of porcelain crowns, your dentist will shade-match the crown material with your natural teeth. This is done to ensure aesthetic harmony among the teeth. The impressions are forwarded to a dental laboratory that manufactures the crown. The fabrication is usually complete in two weeks.

In the meantime, your dentist will provide you with a temporary crown to cover and protect the tooth until it can be fitted with the permanent crown. Temporary crowns are usually made of acrylic and are attached with temporary cement.

Second Visit: Placement Of The Permanent Porcelain Crown

On the second visit, your dentist removes the temporary crown. They check the fit and color of the porcelain crown. If it is just right, local anesthesia is used to numb the tooth and the permanent crown is cemented in place.

How Long Do Porcelain Crowns Last?

The average life span of porcelain crowns is between 5 and 15 years. The life span depends on the amount of wear and tear that the porcelain crown is exposed to. Furthermore, oral hygiene practices and mouth-related habits also affect the longevity of the crown.

The mouth-related habits are –

Clenching your teeth
Grinding your teeth
Chewing ice
Using your teeth to tear open packages
Biting your fingernails, pens, pencils, etc.

How Do You Care For Porcelain Crowns?

Crowned teeth don’t necessarily require any special care. However, the underlying teeth still need to be protected from gum disease or decay.

Dentists recommend that you continue to follow good oral hygiene practices. These include brushing your teeth in the morning and evening along with flossing at least once. The use of an antibacterial mouthwash is also encouraged.

Pay attention to flossing the area where the base of the crown meets the gum line. Bacteria and food debris can get trapped here, causing gingivitis and cavities.

Furthermore, avoid biting on hard foods with the porcelain crown to prevent them from cracking.