Edmonton Dentist | AB |

Crowns can be made from porcelain, porcelain fused to metal, or be entirely made with a gold alloy. To maintain a natural look and feel a porcelain finished crown is best, as it can be matched to the shade of your other teeth. This will allow it to blend in and appear just like one of your natural teeth.

The process of installing a crown takes 2-3 visits to the dentist. On the first visit the tooth will be reshaped by filing down the enamel so that the crown can be placed over it. You will be given a local anesthetic before this part of the procedure so that you do not experience any discomfort. Once the tooth has been reshaped, a mold will be taken of that tooth and the surrounding teeth. This mold will be sent to a dental lab so that your new crown can be made so that it fits in the spot created for it and looks the same relative to the surrounding teeth. Before leaving, your dentist will fit you with a temporary crown until your permanent crown is ready.

The crown takes about 2-3 weeks to be returned to your dentist. At this time you will have another appointment to place and fit the permanent crown. You will again have a local anesthetic to numb the area and the tooth will be placed using a cement to ensure the tooth sets in place.   A crown can fail if there is poor oral hygiene (resulting in decaying around the edge of the crown), if there was not much left of the tooth to begin with, or if there are excessive biting forces that challenge the integrity of the crown or remaining tooth structure supporting the crown.  A crown will last longer or shorter depending on how well you take care of it and your other teeth with regular brushing and flossing. Call us today if you would like to learn more about how crowns can help restore your teeth.