Your guide to dental crowns

If your tooth is cracked , broken or decayed , a dental crown is the best option to restore its shape, appearance and function. “A tooth that is fixed with a dental crown looks and functions the same way as a natural tooth” says Dr. Ranjitha Mukund, Green Meadow Dental, 3579 B Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06111.

Permanent dental crowns can be made from stainless steel, ceramic, porcelain-fused metals, and metals such as gold or any other alloy.

1.      Metal crowns- Metals used in dental crowns are either made up of gold alloy, other alloys (palladium) or base-metal alloy (nickel or chromium). Metal crowns are considered the best compared to other crowns as they can withstand biting and chewing forces.

2.      Composite crowns– Composite crowns are considered better than the porcelain crowns as they don’t chip as easily as porcelain crowns. The only disadvantage is that sometimes brushing tends to remove highly polished surfaces of composite crowns which causes them to stain easily.

3.      All-ceramic/porcelain crowns – These crowns look more natural  compared to others. But they can break easily as they are more brittle. Therefore they are not preferred on back teeth.

4.      Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns – These crowns are much stronger and durable than the porcelain or composite ones as they won’t crack easily.

What else  should I know?

Remember dental crowns are generally strong and can last for almost 10 years if taken good care of. Do not use them harshly to bite hard objects or open things.  Just like your natural teeth, try to brush and floss them regularly.

Many people from Portland come to our office because we are conveniently located next to Target. Our flexible hours and family dental practice makes it easy for busy families to schedule visits for both parents and children.

To know more about dental crowns, contact Green Meadow Dental, 3579B Berline Turnpike, Newington CT 06111 (860)-865-0056.  We also service patients from surrounding areas including Southington, Glastonbury and Weatherfield.