What is the process for getting a dental crown?
Posted on: 24 June 2016
A dental crown is a type of porcelain cap you have bonded over one of your natural teeth. It is often necessary after having a root canal or if you have a tooth that is cracked and at risk of breaking. Here are some things to know about the process for getting a dental crown.
The Exam and X-Rays Are Done First
If you have not had this done already, the dental crown procedure will begin with examining the tooth and surrounding teeth then performing some x-rays. This helps the dentist determine how much of the tooth will need to be filed down in order to make room for the crown. The x-rays also look at nearby teeth to see if those can remain intact or if some adjusting needs to be done to them as well. During this appointment, you may also need to have the tooth cleaned and decay removed prior to preparing the tooth for the crown.
Your Natural Tooth is Filed Down
Once the tooth has no more decay, it needs to be filed down to make room for the crown. Since the crown goes over the entire tooth like a cap, it needs to be small enough to where the crown can fit over the tooth, but also in between the adjacent teeth. This process can't be reversed, so make sure you are certain you want the crown before going through this procedure.
You Get Impressions Done
Now that the filing is done, your dentist will then take impressions of the natural teeth as well as the nearby teeth so they can have the crown made. The crown needs to fit perfectly over the newly-filed tooth in order to be secure when bonding is done, but it also needs to fit in between the other teeth. This is why impressions of multiple adjacent teeth are typically included. It also helps to determine the proper size and shape of the tooth so it blends in well with the neighbouring teeth. After getting the impressions done, you will then have a temporary crown placed over the tooth and wait a couple weeks for the permanent crown to be ready.
The Permanent Crown is Bonded to Your Tooth
The final step of the process is to return to your dentist to have the permanent tooth bonded to your natural tooth. The temporary crown is removed and a strong adhesive bonding agent is applied to the natural tooth and inside of the crown. It is then placed over the tooth where the bonding dries. The tooth is polished as a final step.
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