A tooth cap or dental crown is often recommended to restore damaged teeth. Teeth caps can repair your teeth and improve your smile. These modern dental restorations are designed specifically to mimic the size, shape, appearance, and function of healthy, natural teeth. When the visible portion of a tooth is damaged, then a dental cap can be fashioned to completely cover and protect it. Teeth caps are designed uniquely for a patient’s natural tooth crown. When bonded in place, the crown can restore your tooth’s function as well as the balance and function of your entire bite.
What are Teeth Caps?
A cap is a crown that fits completely over an affected tooth. It is made to encase the entire visible part of the tooth for protection. Crown covers prevent further infection and help preserve the remaining tooth structure. A dental crown helps restore your smile to full function and appearance.
How Do I Know If I Need a Cap?
Crowns are used to repair teeth damaged by either cavities or injury. When the thin layer of enamel coating your teeth becomes damaged, the inner tooth structure known as dentin becomes exposed. Once bacteria reach the dentin, tooth decay begins. Over time, decay will spread into the dentin and eventually reach the inner pulp. Your pulp is a bundle of living tissue, the nerve center of your teeth. The pulp regulates the flow of blood and nutrients to and from the tooth, keeping your teeth healthy. Once infected, your tooth can become abscessed and eventually die, requiring root canal treatment. Symptoms of a tooth that may need a crown include tooth sensitivity, toothache, and difficulty chewing.
Benefits of Teeth Caps
Dental crowns are custom made based on an impression of your teeth taken by Dr. Fondriest. Porcelain reflects light in a similar manner as tooth enamel, allowing your new crown to look completely natural. In addition, the crown can be shaded to blend seamlessly with your smile. Metal fused to ceramic crowns often leave a dark line along the gum line. The metal alloy underneath the porcelain begins to show as the gums recede. Since porcelain crowns contain no metal, patients don’t need to worry about the exposure of unsightly dark lines.
Artistic Smile Design
When preparing your crown, Dr. Fondriest takes several steps to ensure you receive a strong and cosmetically pleasing restoration. Dr. Fondriest uses artistic smile design. This is a treatment planning process so that your dental work reflects your personality and matches your unique facial features.
What is a tooth cap made from?
Like all modern dental treatments, every tooth cap is crafted with the patient’s unique dental needs and preferences in mind. To ensure optimal results for everyone, we offer a variety of types of crowns. They are made from lifelike porcelains such as Emax, Zirconium, or Procera.
The dentist may use a metal base as in porcelain fused to metal (PFM). With the ability to mimic a tooth’s color, shade, and ability to reflect light, porcelain offers highly lifelike results. Some teeth are under intense biting pressure, like the molars in the back of your mouth. Your dentist can create a PFM crown that’s lifelike in appearance as well as durable enough to withstand heavy bite force.
What if my tooth can’t be saved?
The good thing about today’s caps is that they can restore your smile even if your tooth itself can’t be saved. For instance, when combined with a dental implant, a crown can be used to replace a lost or extracted tooth. An implant supported crown can replace a lost tooth without having to rely on the support of healthy adjacent teeth, like a traditional dental bridge.
The upper front teeth are all dental crowns
Receiving Your Tooth Cap
Dr. Fondriest will sit down with you to discuss your smile goals. He will then perform a thorough oral examination. After assessing the state of your dental health, Dr. Fondriest may recommend a dental crown. He will take note of your facial features, lip drape, how your mouth moves during speech. With these in mind, as well as many other factors, Dr. Fondriest will design your custom made restoration.
After preparing the surface of your tooth to restore, Dr. Fondriest will take the impression. This impression is used to create your porcelain crown. An expert ceramist will construct your crown, and in the meantime, Dr. Fondriest will prescribe a set of temporary crowns. Once your custom made dental caps are complete Dr. Fondriest will check the fit to ensure comfort and accuracy. He will then place your new permanent crown using a powerful bonding agent. When you leave Lake Forest Dental Arts, you will have a gorgeous new smile restoration.
Caring for Your Dental Crown
Patients should care for their ceramic crowns as they would their natural front teeth. Maintain proper dental habits, such as brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once. Also, remember to rinse regularly with an antiseptic mouthwash. These steps help cleanse the mouth of harmful bacteria and food particles, protecting your natural teeth and new restoration from tooth decay.
Learn More About Modern Teeth Caps
Today’s modern dental crowns offer a variety of restorative and cosmetic benefits, depending on your specific dental needs. Porcelain crowns are a popular method of smile improvement, protecting and preserving your smile. Call today for a diagnosis and to discuss whether porcelain crowns are right for you. We offer patients the latest in innovative restorative and cosmetic dental procedures to obtain optimal oral health and beautiful smiles.
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