Blog

A dental crown may be advised for a variety of reasons, including to protect, restore, or stabilize a tooth that has been injured or worn down in some way. It can also improve a patient’s smile by modifying the size or color of a tooth to give it the appearance of a natural tooth.

When compared to alternatives, dental crowns have a number of significant advantages. However, dental crowns have some drawbacks that should be considered when choosing the best treatment option for you.

What are Dental Crowns?

Your teeth can get damaged at some point. This can happen due to a multitude of factors, such as natural dental decay, trauma, or poor dental hygiene, which leads to cavities.

Dental crowns are tooth-shaped “caps” that fit over natural teeth. The crown repairs the tooth’s shape, size, strength, and appearance. A dental crown covers the visible section of the tooth and is cemented into place, so that it stays in place long-term.

Dental Crown Pros

Dental crowns offer many benefits to patients, such as:

Restoration and Protection Dental crowns can restore a tooth’s appearance and function after it has been cracked, worn down, or decayed. It can be used to restore a tooth following endodontic treatment or root canal therapy. This technique entails cutting off a tooth’s nerves and blood supply, rendering it devitalized and filling the gap where the nerves and blood arteries once resided to prevent bacterial infection. This treatment makes the tooth much weaker and brittle than healthy teeth, making it susceptible to damage. Placing a dental crown over the weak tooth can strengthen it, reducing the risk of breakage in the future.

Improved Appearance People care about their teeth, because they play a big role in the appearance of their smile and face, as well as their general confidence. So, when partial coverage with a veneer or laminate is not an option, a crown can be a cap to cover badly discolored or otherwise damaged teeth. When only a small portion of an original tooth remains, a dental crown can be used to cover and support it.

Affordable Compared to other treatments, such as dental implants, dental crowns are much more affordable and still offer a new and improved smile. They are also the perfect solution for those with misshapen, damaged, or discolored teeth who do not want them removed for smile restoration purposes.

Dental Crown Cons

Dental crowns offer some disadvantages to patients, such as the following. If you are concerned, talk to your dentist about whether these issues can be prevented.

Lengthy Preparation Preparing a tooth for a dental crown can be extensive. It is crucial to properly clean and prepare the tooth for a crown, so that bacteria and germs do not exist under it. This can be lengthy and may require multiple visits, depending on whether you need a root canal or another treatment alongside the dental crown placement.

Pain, Sensitivity, and Discomfort Following a new dental crown placement, some patients experience tooth pain and discomfort. These symptoms are temporary, and most patients find relief within a few days. You may also experience tooth sensitivity, which should also subside within a few days.

Crown Detachment A dental crown may fall off the tooth on which it was placed. A crown can become dislodged for a variety of reasons, one of which is improper placement by an inexperienced dentist. This is why it is important to get dental procedures done by experienced, reputable dental professionals only.

Cosmetic Dentistry in Plantation, FL

If you are interested in learning more about dental crowns and whether they are the solution to your imperfect smile, Dr. Ernie Soto can help. Dr. Soto is a reconstructive dentist with a wealth of experience restoring smiles. If you want to find a solution to your dental problems, there is no better dentist in Plantation for you. Call (954) 368-6264 to make an appointment, or fill out our appointment request form online.