Human teeth are extremely strong but over time they sustain a lot of wear. Improper oral hygiene also contributes toward dental problems causing the teeth to weaken and become more susceptible to damage. The most common dental injury is a chipped tooth.
A chipped tooth refers to the dental condition where part of the tooth breaks off due to any reason such as trauma caused by falling, eating a hard piece of candy, or falling off a bike. Depending on the size of the chip there are different recommended treatments. For a moderate chip, the tooth can be repaired using bonding material to replace the missing part.
If a larger piece of the tooth breaks off, dentists cover the remaining part with dental crowns.
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap used to cover the damaged tooth in order to restore its size, shape, and strength. It’s placed over the tooth, encasing it to the gum line and protects the chipped tooth. It’s mostly used on teeth that have been so badly damaged or decayed that they can’t be fixed with a simple filling. It also improves the look of the teeth by hiding the damaged parts.
Types of Dental Crowns:
There are various types of dental crowns available today. A dentist decides which type of crown is most suitable by accessing the damage and the condition of the gums and other teeth. These are some common types of dental crowns;
- Stainless Steel Crown: Cost-effective, easier to attach, and mostly used for children to cover their primary teeth till the permanent teeth come out.
- Metal Crowns: Made out of different alloys such as cobalt-chromium and nickel-chromium, long-lasting, good for out-of-sight molars.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns: Have a base of metal with an outer cover of porcelain to match the exact color of the teeth, good for front or back teeth.
- All-Resin Dental Crowns: Less expensive and good for front teeth, but are more prone to wear.
The Dental Crowning Process:
Getting a dental crown is a relatively simple, painless, and quick procedure. The area around the tooth is numbed using a local anesthetic and the tooth is then cleaned and filed to prepare for the crown. Using impressions from the damaged teeth, a crown is designed as close to the original tooth as possible and then placed over the tooth using dental bonding cement. The entire process can take as little as two visits to the dentist.
A properly applied dental crown can help protect the tooth from further damage as well as any sensitivity caused by the chipped tooth. Some children can get anxious while getting a dental treatment which is why you should opt for pediatric dentistry services that use nitrous oxide/oxygen or laughing gas to relax them before the treatment.
Our Children’s Dentist has been providing expert pediatric dental care for several years. Our service is affiliated with leading dental care practitioners throughout Houston as well as Corpus Christi and Beaumont in Texas.
We offer expert emergency care for dental problems including chipped/fractured teeth, knocked out permanent teeth, and dental crowns. Call us today at 713-244-7796 to set up an appointment with our warm and caring team!
