Are Dental Crowns Right For You?

Dental crowns are one of the oldest, most popular and effective ways to protect, maintain and restore teeth with extensive fillings, decay and fractures. They are basically caps that cover the visible part of your teeth to the gum line and enhance their appearance and functionality. 

At Lasting Smiles Dental Care in Las Vegas, our dentists often use porcelain crowns to improve the shape, size, strength, and appearance of a tooth. Crowns can provide a better and longer-lasting restoration than just a regular filling since the whole tooth is surrounded and protected from fractures at weak portions of a tooth.

Why You May Need Dental Crowns

Strengthen Your Teeth

Dental crowns are commonly used to strengthen teeth after significant damage by decay and in which case a large portion of the tooth has been replaced by filling. Crowns are also often recommended after a root canal procedure, especially if the decay has affected the upper part of the tooth.

Restore Your Teeth

Apart from using crowns to strengthen teeth affected by extensive decay, crowns are frequently used to restore broken or worn down teeth. This is important in helping restore/rehabilitate a patient’s bite or occlusion and the functionality of the tooth. 

Improve Your Smile

Additionally, crowns can be used to improve the appearance of teeth which have been extensively discolored due to colored or silver fillings. What’s more stained or misshapen teeth can often be improved cosmetically with a crown custom-made to enhance your smile.

Dental Crown Procedure

The procedure for dental crowns is relatively simple and minimally invasive. Once your dentist at Lasting Smiles cleans the enamel of your tooth, your tooth is then shaped to provide a firm fit for the crown. Following the shaping procedure, an impression of the tooth is sent to skilled dental technicians who create your custom-made crown. Finally, once the crown is ready, Dr. Ghodsi will use strong dental cement to attach the crown on your tooth. 

Protecting & Prolonging The Life of Your Dental Crowns

Normally, crowns can last from 5 to 15 years depending on your oral hygiene and upkeep. Our dentists at Lasting Smiles Dental care would like to share some tips to prolong the life of your crown. 

First and most important, is to brush your teeth at least twice a day and if possible right after every meal. This will help protect your crowns as well as the rest of your teeth. It’s also a good idea to avoid hard foods or biting ice since you risk cracking your crown. Furthermore, if you participate in sports or have the tendency to grind teeth in your sleep, it is wise to wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your crowns.

Crowns can not only provide you with an improved smile but also great functionality that will last for years. If you have any questions regarding dental crowns or if you are wondering whether they are right for you, contact us today to schedule a Free Consultation!