Tooth caps are restorations that your dentist can recommend if you have a damaged tooth cover it and prevent the risk of infections. A tooth crown has several functions. Therefore, when you seek restorative dental treatments, your dentist will first check your teeth to determine the type of crowns you need.
Some dental issues can be corrected using other minor dental restorations such as fillings or more complex treatments such as tooth extraction or dental implants. Therefore, your dentist will examine your teeth and the severity of the damage to determine if tooth caps are the right tooth restorations for your teeth.
Why Do I Need a Tooth Crown?
When you seek treatments in a dental clinic near you, your dentist can recommend crowns if you have the following:
- Broken or cracked teeth
- Badly-decayed teeth
- Severely stained or discolored teeth
- After a root canal to prevent infections
- A tooth cap for dental implants
Types of Dental Crowns
A dental crown can be permanent or temporary. However, tooth caps can be classified according to the material. Some of the types of tooth caps you can get when you seek tooth restorations include:
Metal Crowns
Metal or gold crowns are alloys of gold, nickel, and other metals. The gold or metal crowns pose several benefits such as durability and strength. The types of tooth caps are stronger than your natural teeth since metal is not prone to damage. Therefore, your dentist can recommend metal tooth caps to cover your chewing teeth.
Ceramic Tooth caps
Ceramic or porcelain tooth caps mimic the natural color of your teeth. Therefore, your dentist can choose a shade that matches your teeth when placing them. If you have damaged front teeth, your dentist can recommend porcelain crowns.
However, porcelain tooth caps are prone to chipping and are not as durable as metal crowns.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns
If you need tooth caps to cover any teeth, your dentist can recommend porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns since they provide smile aesthetics and are more durable than porcelain crowns. However, the porcelain material is still prone to chipping, especially if you grind or clench your teeth at night.
All-Resin Crowns
All-resin crowns provide smile aesthetics and are recommendable for your front teeth. However, the resin material is prone to wear and tear. Therefore, your dentist would not recommend the crowns to cover your chewing teeth.
Dental Crown Procedure
Depending on your condition, a dental crown procedure needs up to three appointments.
The first step of the procedure involves consultation with your dentist. During the consultation, your dentist will examine your teeth to check if tooth caps are the right dental restorations for you. The dentist can use digital x-rays to determine the extent of tooth decay and if your root nerves and pulp are infected.
If pulp and root nerves are infected, the dentist will recommend an endodontic therapy first.
During the second treatment session, the dentist will prepare your tooth for the placement of the tooth cap. The dentist will remove any signs of tooth decay and shed some parts of your enamel.
After shedding some parts of the enamel, the dentist will take impressions of your teeth and send them to a dental lab to create your permanent crowns. In the meantime, the dentist will place a temporary crown to cover the prepared tooth.
The permanent dental crowns will take up to two weeks to arrive from the dental lab. Therefore, the dentist will schedule another appointment when your crowns arrive from the dental lab. During the appointment, your dentist will remove the temporary and replace it with a permanent one.
The dentist will then make the necessary adjustments. If your tooth caps are of the right fit, the dentist will etch and polish the surfaces of the teeth and apply the bonding material to the dental cap. Finally, the dentist will place the permanent tooth cap and check your bite.
Care Tips for Your Tooth Caps
Just like your natural teeth, the tooth caps require care. At Dental Care South, we recommend the following to enhance the durability of your teeth:
- Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly
- Regular dental exams and cleanings
- Avoid chewing or biting on ice or other hard objects since you can damage your crowns
- Wear a protective mouthguard when playing contact sports