Dental Crowns - Introduction

A beaming smile includes not only appealing lips, but also beautiful teeth.

Nowadays, crowning damaged teeth counts among the most common dental medical procedures undertaken. Various materials can be applied: solid cast crowns made of metal are typically used in the rear, less visible part of the mouth. They can be subjected to great amounts of pressure and therefore have a relatively long lifespan - depending on good care, they can last for up to 25 years. Crowns made of ceramic do not enjoy such a long lifespan, but are at least happily used on the front and corner teeth due to the fact that they can hardly be distinguished from natural teeth in terms of coloration and translucency. With these crowns, just as with dental crowns, the desired results are achieved. Moreover, ceramic is very biocompatible. Crowns made of plastic are also put to use. Your doctor will advise you on which material is best suited for you.

The preparation is the same in all cases: in the first treatment session, x-rays and/or photographs are made of the teeth to be treated. As part of the second step, the doctor must grind the teeth down in order to make room for the crowns. At the same time, all damaging and carious parts of the teeth are carefully removed. The treatment is normally performed using local anaesthesia such that the patient does not feel any pain. Next, an impression is taken of the correspondingly prepared jawbone, which is used as a model for the preparation of accurately fitting crowns in the laboratory. For ceramic crowns, a color analysis is also carried out so that the crowns match your natural tooth color as much as possible. The crowns are then prepared in the laboratory according to your wishes, which typically takes one day. In the meantime, you will obtain a temporary device made of plastic that protects your teeth.

The adaptation and cementation of the prepared crowns requires no anaesthetic in most cases. You can typically return home directly after treatment and can eat as you would normally. With professional and accurately fitting preparation, construction, and cementation of the dental crowns, complications only very rarely arise. Naturally, it is important that careful dental hygiene is observed (including the areas between the teeth) in order to prevent the settling of bacteria on the edges of the crowns. Dental crowns are considered to be a safe and long-lasting alternative for reconstructing your teeth in their natural form.