What is a Dental Crown?

You've probably heard people talk about getting a dental crown or perhaps your dentist has mentioned it. In any case you may not understand what a crown is or what the dental procedure entails. In this article we will examine what a dental crown is and why you would need to have a crown replacement on your tooth.

The term crown actually refers to the part of the tooth that is above the gum line. The crown can become damaged due to decay. It is then necessary to remove the enamel and replace it with a new covering. A new crown may be necessary to fix a broken or crooked tooth as well. A crown is usually done after a root canal procedure. The reason is that a tooth may become brittle after a root canal and so a crown is put in place to protect the tooth from breaking.

A crown is usually made of porcelain although it can be made of other materials also. When replacing a crown your dentist will administer an anesthetic to numb the area. Your dentist will then remove the old filling to ready the tooth for a crown replacement. An impression will be made, the tooth is filled and a temporary crown will be put in place. A second appointment will be scheduled for the fitting of the permanent crown. The crown is cemented in place with a special type of dental cement.

Once your new crown is in place it may feel different at first but you will soon become accustomed to it. If the crown feels uncomfortable in any way you should tell your dentist. If a crown is done correctly and taken care of properly it should last approximately 10 to 15 years. I had the unfortunate experience of losing a dental crown about 6 months after the procedure was done. I was eating a piece of candy at the time and I remember thinking that the candy was unusually hard. I wondered if it might be stale. After chewing a few more times I spit the candy out and along with it came my crown. It turned out that the crown was the extremely hard "candy" I was trying to chew. If this should happen to you call your dentist immediately. Your crown should last at least 10 years. It should most certainly last longer than mine did. Keep in mind though that this doesn't normally happen. A crown can protect your tooth and improve its appearance.