Dental crowns are a restorative dental procedure that has multiple uses in modern dentistry. For instance, your dentist might advise you to get a dental crown Lancaster procedure done for practical reasons like holding a weak tooth together or for cosmetic reasons like concealing tooth discoloration.
Most of the cases we handle at Lancaster dental care associates are, however, mainly comprised of preventative and restorative dental crown placement. Dental crowns come in different types including porcelain, composite resin, ceramic and even stainless steel.
Each material has its advantages and demerits, and the dentist should advise you on the best option depending on the situation at hand. Some of the reasons that a person might require dental crowns include;
Why are dental crowns necessary?
A patient might require a dental crown if the tooth being treated has had a filling placed that is too big and surpass the size of the tooth. A crown is placed in this scenario to cover the tooth and even out the wrongly placed fillings. Additionally, the dentist will also seal off the tooth with a dental crown following a root canal procedure.
The dental crown, in this case, is used to prevent the hollowed out tooth cavity from getting infected and keep the site clean. Other elective procedures also exist like correcting discolored teeth using a dental crown that is used to conceal it.
The dental crown placement procedure
The procedure for dental crown Lancaster placement usually happens in two stages;
The first stage of the dental crown procedure
On the first visit, the dentist will take some x-ray images to check for signs of tooth decay as well as other oral health issues that may infect the area. The dentist must be careful not to introduce harmful agents into the sensitive tooth pulp during operation.
In some cases, a root canal procedure is necessary before proceeding with the dental crown placement. Once the x-rays have been analyzed, it is now time for the tooth to be reshaped so that the crown can fit. The amount of enamel that will be removed while reshaping depends on the material of the crown.
At Lancaster dental care associates, we advise the patient on how porcelain or composite crowns require more enamel to be scraped off than metal crowns which are thinner. If the tooth previously had decayed, a dental filling might be necessary.
Afterward, an impression is taken upon which the crown will be fabricated, and a temporary crown is placed to protect the site before the second stage commences.
The second stage of dental crown placement
Once the impressions have been taken to the lab for manufacturing, the dental crown Lancaster office will have you wait for two to three weeks. After it is ready, the temporary crown is removed first in preparation for the permanent crown. The dentist double checks to see if the crown fits in the operation site and if the crown shade matches the other teeth. Anesthesia is administered, and the crown is fitted over the tooth with dental cement being used to hold it in place. For an extra cost, you can have same-day crowns that require a single visit.
