3 Times When Dental Crowns Are Needed
One of the common procedures used to restore teeth is the dental crown. These are popular because they have been used for many years and most people are familiar with them. Crowns offer protection for damaged teeth because they literally cover the whole tooth. This is why they are also known as dental caps.
In addition, a dental crown can be used to cover a tooth that has badly decayed, thus preventing infection. The goal is to stop the spread of bacteria, so once an infection has been removed and treated, the crown is used to cover it. Furthermore, a crown will also give support to the tooth that has been damaged. This extra support preserves the tooth’s functionality. Further damage is also prevented.
Dental filling vs dental crown
Most times as one is going to see the dentist, they expect that a filling will be enough. However, the dentist may examine the tooth and decide that a crown works best. It is important to know when a crown is needed as opposed to a filling. Even though the patient will be given the choice of either having just a filling done, or a filling with a crown, it is important that he or she know why they choose either.
Protecting the teeth is of utmost importance. This means that having a crown may be better than a filling if the tooth is in very bad shape. If one has had a procedure such as a root canal, it may be critical to also have a dental crown done to protect the tooth. Without the crown, the tooth may end up weak and brittle since it doesn’t have viable nerves or blood vessels.
Uses of dental crowns
A dental crown is not recommended for every tooth decay, but there are certain situations where it becomes necessary. They are as follows:
- Chipped or broken tooth – If a tooth has chipped significantly or has cracked, it is important to make sure that it is fixed or protected before an infection can set in. Cracked teeth do not automatically heal themselves or glue themselves back together. There is need to have them fixed in order to ensure that they do not break further.
- Extensive tooth decay – When a tooth has been left to decay extensively and is in danger of affecting the teeth neighboring it, then it needs a crown in order to stop bacteria from spreading to other parts of the mouth or to other teeth. Once it has been treated, a dental crown will do nicely.
- Big filling – If the decay was significant enough to warrant a large filling, then it is better to cover it with a crown in order to secure it. A large filling can come loose and leave the decayed part of the tooth exposed. If that is not taken care of, the pulp can become infected, which could necessitate a root canal. A dental crown looks much better than a large filling, and it provides extra protection and strengthening for the tooth as well.
A top Tijuana dentist can give you an excellent dental crown that will restore your smile and protect your tooth.
