Spokane Dentist

Dental crowns are an important treatment option that can help patients who are facing a variety of different issues. If your dentist has suggested that you might need dental crowns in the near future, you may be wondering what they are, what they can do for you, and what the process of getting a crown is like. In this post, we’ll address those questions so you are more informed and can have a discussion with your dentist about the right treatment for your situation.

What are Dental Crowns?

The simplest way to think about a dental crown is to imagine it as a cover for your original tooth. While crowns can be used in many different situations, and we’ll get into some of those in a moment, the basic idea is the same across the board – you will have a cover placed over your original tooth that is meant to bring it back as close as possible to its original state. Some of the benefits of adding a dental crown include the following –

Restore function

If you have a tooth that is no longer able to function as it did when it was healthy, a crown may be able to solve that problem. For instance, you might have a bad tooth on the right side of your mouth, and you may chew all of your food on the left side as a result. With a crown placed over that tooth, the discomfort of chewing on that side should be gone. You might not think much about the annoyance of that issue right now, but you’ll enjoy significant relief once it is solved.

Improve looks

When you have a damaged tooth in a noticeable spot in your mouth, that issue can lead to decreased self-confidence. You might find yourself hesitant to smile in public, afraid of letting others see the tooth that you are trying to hide. Again, this is where a dental crown can offer a nice solution. Once placed, the crown will be practically impossible to notice from the outside, and you’ll feel free to smile wide once again.

Maintain oral health going forward

Problems like tooth decay have a bad habit of getting worse over time – and spreading to other parts of your mouth. Not only can a dental crown help improve the way your tooth performs, and the way it looks, but it can also help to prevent further oral health issues moving forward. Given this potential benefit, it’s a good idea to have your dental work completed promptly to limit the extent of the damage that needs to be fixed.

Why are Dental Crowns Used?

We’ve now established what it is about dental crowns that can be so beneficial, but we still need to talk about why you would opt for one in the first place. One of the common issues that leads to the placement of a dental crown is a cavity. Not all cavities will require the use of a dental crown as part of the treatment, of course, but large cavities may wind up at this point if they cannot be filled. If you have one or more large cavities in your mouth at the moment, dental crowns may be a smart treatment option. Dr. Sirivolu a Orange City dentist adds that with dental crown you can save a tooth instead of waiting to long and get to the point where the tooth needs to be extracted.

Another reason for the use of a dental crown is a cracked tooth. When a tooth is cracked, it is weakened and may be painful. To cover up that damage and restore the performance of the original tooth, a crown can be put in place. Even if a particular tooth is not actually cracked, it may be worn down enough to warrant the use of a crown. Don’t go on dealing with the pain and discomfort of cracked teeth when such an effective, simple solution is available.

You may also need to have a crown placed if you are going to undergo a root canal treatment. After the root canal treatment has been finished, the crown can be used to cover up the tooth and help it perform properly for years to come. Root canal treatment is not an intimidating, painful process it was once upon a time, so this is now an attractive option for many patients.

Finally, a dental patient may decide to opt for a crown simply because he or she would like to improve the look of their smile. There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve or restore your smile, and crowns are one of many options available to do just that.

A Simple Process

Even for those who are a little apprehensive about dental work, the process of having a crown placed is nothing to be afraid of. There are only a few steps involved in most cases and the timeline for the job from start to finish is rather short. Once it is decided that a crown will be used, the first step is to prepare the existing tooth. This may involve removing decay and removing the outer portion of the tooth to make room for the crown itself.

With that done, the dentist will take an impression of the tooth that needs to be covered, so a crown can be created. Once that crown is delivered to the dentist, it will be placed and adjusted as necessary before it is locked into place and the treatment is completed. If you have any questions about this process before you commit to having a dental crown placed, be sure to ask your dentist for an explanation. It’s best to get all of the information you need in advance so you can proceed with confidence.

Give Us a Call!

Thank you for taking the time to visit Spokane Dental. We love serving the people of Spokane and the surrounding area, and we offer a long list of services to our patients. If you would like to learn more about our Spokane dental practice, please contact us during business hours. Thank you again for stopping by, and we hope to see you soon!