Dental problems come in all shapes and sizes. For many people, the problem is bigger than a cavity but smaller than an extraction. What kind of repair falls in between? A porcelain crown. Crowns are one of the most versatile dental restorations available, and they are customized to match your other teeth in size, shape, and color for a natural-looking repair every time.
Here are just some of the dental problems a porcelain crown can fix:
1. Extensive Tooth Decay
Sometimes cavities are so big that a tooth-colored composite filling just isn’t big enough to take care of it. When the amount of drilling that needs to be done to eliminate decay is extensive, there may not be much tooth structure remaining. A filling that is too large is not stable and a different restoration is the better choice. In cases like this, a porcelain crown can be put in place to cover the tooth and make it strong and robust.
2. Fractured Tooth
When a tooth is fractured, its stability is threatened and it is susceptible to developing all kinds of other oral health complications like decay or infections. Porcelain crowns act as a cap – a common nickname for a crown – to conceal what’s broken and to prevent bacteria, plaque, or food from getting into the tooth and causing problems. The crown also solidifies the tooth’s place in the mouth so it stays strong and helps maintain the health of the nearby teeth.
3. Broken Filling
Fillings are intended to last a very long time, but sometimes they break. Maybe you have a silver amalgam filling which, over time, will expand and crack. The filling could break or fall out and, even though its job was to fix the tooth to begin with, it damages the tooth on the way out. Once your dentist eliminates the broken filling, the safest and most solid solution may be to put a porcelain crown in its place rather than another filling.
4. Unsightly Tooth
Crowns are not only good for repairing damaged or compromised teeth, they can fix the ugly-looking ones too. Do you have one tooth that is stained or discolored? A tooth that is oddly shaped? The problem tooth that has made you self-conscious or embarrassed for so long can be fixed in a matter of a few dental visits with a customized porcelain crown. Your teeth will all blend together for a seamless smile.
5. Root Canal Therapy
If a tooth is so badly infected that it requires root canal therapy, a porcelain crown is almost always part of the solution too. Root canal requires an in-depth repair of a tooth, under the gum line, until the roots are completely cleaned out, the infection is eliminated, and the canals are filled. In order to prevent the worked-on tooth from developing further damage or infection in the future, it needs to be protected – a porcelain crown fills that job.
Do You Need a Porcelain Crown?
If you have any of these oral health problems, contact Dr. Carole Sherrod Jewell or Dr. Pauline Robinson at Red Bank Dentistry in New Jersey to make an appointment and discuss the dental restoration that is right for your tooth.
