Cosmetic Dentistry and Porcelain Crowns

---

By Arthur Kezian

About 75% of adults in the US undergo dental fear. This is too high of a number. A lot of people do not see a dentist until they have a dental emergency. Sensibly, if you fear the dentist, you should not wait until you know you have a big problem that is going to involve a lot of dental work. Instead, you should keep up with your dental visits and be precautious. Make visiting your dentist a routine, not a hassle. If you check up on your teeth often, then you won’t need big work done, i.e. porcelain crowns. But, what happens if you do need to get a crown done? Don’t fear the practice; instead, try to be aware of the entire process to feel more relaxed.  

Reasons for a Crown

·         Some people might need a crown to protect a very weak tooth with a lot of decay.

·         Very large fillings where there is not enough tooth left will also need crowns for support.

·         Crowns can be used to make alterations to improve your smile.

·         Crowns may also be used to cover a dental implant as that is the last stage of an implant procedure.

·         There are many kinds of crowns including all porcelain, zirconia crowns, all-resin crowns, all metal crowns, or crowns with porcelain fused to metal. You and your dentist will settle on the best possible option for your case and your budget.

First Appointment: Preparation of the Crown

Before starting a crown procedure, your dentist needs to prepare your tooth for a crown. The first step in the crown preparation would be to get the area being worked on numb. Your dentist will give you local anesthesia to numb the tooth and the gum around that tooth. The next step would be to file down your tooth from the biting surface as well as the sides of it to make room for the crown to slip on. After your tooth has been restructured, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth to make sure the crown fits consequently to your bite. Before sending the impressions to a dental lab where the crown will be made, your dentist will take the shade of your teeth to make sure the lab matches it as close as possible. The closer the color match, the more natural the crown will look in your mouth. The color shade step is a short one, but a very crucial you’re your dentist should show you the shade he/she chooses to make sure you are content with the color match.

The procedure is almost done. The last step is to place a temporary crown on before the permanent crown is done and ready to be cemented. With the temporary crowns you should avoid gum, caramel, or toffee to make sure they don’t pull out the crown. Also try to stay away from very hard foods so that they don’t break your temporary crown. This will save you an additional visit to the dentist. Whether you are getting zirconia or metal crowns, you should be careful with flossing with your temporary crown. Put the floss through your teeth and instead of pulling it outward, slide it through to take it out.

Second Appointment: Cementation

Your second appointment is the final appointment of the crown procedure. This appointment is a lot quicker than your first one because it does not involve drilling down your tooth. Your temporary crown is taken off and your new crown is put on. If everything looks good to your dentist, the margins fit correctly, the color match is on point, and the crown fits properly, then it is ready for cementation. Permanent cement is used this time for a better, sturdier application. The cement is then cleaned out properly and the process is finished.

Before leaving the office though, your dentist and the staff will give you proper post-operative instructions regarding your crown and how to take care of it. Porcelain crowns need to be cared for just like your natural teeth need to be cared for. Make sure you keep your crowns clean to prevent them from causing puffiness and inflammation in your gums.

If you have any questions regarding porcelain crowns, please feel free to contact Dr. Arthur A. Kezian. He and his staff will be ready to assist you and make sure you are at ease. As long as you know and understand the procedure, there is no need to fear the dental work.

Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777 http://www.drkezian.com

 

-N.S.