The Process of Getting Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are hollow caps that are placed over top of tooth that has been treated with a root canal, or a damaged, weakened, misshapen or discoloured tooth. Crowns can play multiple roles all at once, or different roles for different teeth in different parts of your mouth. Crowns can perfect the appearance of teeth. Dental crowns in NW Calgary can permanently protect a tooth from infection. Crowns can provide anchors to support dental bridges to replace missing teeth. Are you facing any of those issues? If you are, ask a dentist in NW Calgary if you’re a good candidate for crowns. If you are a good candidate for dental crowns, here’s the process of receiving them.

An examination. Your dentist in NW Calgary will take images of your mouth to determine the tooth being treated is healthy enough to support a crown. If it turns out that the tooth isn’t healthy enough in its current state, your dentist may recommend prior treatment to deal with any underlying issues or different options for achieving your dental goals.

Preparing the tooth. Assuming you’re a good candidate for dental crowns, your dentist will numb the tooth to be treated before removing some enamel from the surface of the tooth to make room for your crown without adding bulk to the tooth. This does mean that, going forward, that tooth will always need to be protected by a crown since that enamel being removed can not be regrown. In some cases, preparing your tooth may mean adding material to ensure a snug and secure fit between the crown and your tooth.

Taking impressions. Your dentist NW Calgary will then take impressions of your prepared tooth to give information to dental technicians who will prepare a crown and, within a couple of weeks, send that crown back to your dentist.

Temporary crown. A dentist near you will provide you with a temporary crown to wear while you’re waiting for your permanent crown to be prepared. Wearing a temporary crown will protect your tooth — without the enamel that was removed to make room from your crown — from penetration by bacteria and tooth decay while your permanent crown is being prepared. That temporary crown will also protect you from tooth sensitivity. The removal of the enamel from your tooth means you’re more likely to experience sensitivity to heat and cold.

Because temporary crowns are not as sturdy and securely fitted to your prepared tooth, you’ll need to be very careful living and eating while wearing that temporary crown. Avoid reading hard candies, nuts and crunchy vegetables and sticky foods like chewing gum and toffee.

Preparing your crowns. Technicians at a dental laboratory will prepare a crown based on the dental impressions provided by your dentist. The technician will use materials tinted to the colour of your remaining natural teeth so the crown will blend naturally.

Placing your crown. At your next appointment to receive dental crowns in NW Calgary, your dentist will remove your temporary crown and place the permanent crown (without any bonding cement) onto your prepared tooth to confirm it fits properly and will accomplish your goal. Once the fit is confirmed, your dentist will cement the crown to your tooth.

Dental crowns near you are incredibly versatile restorations used by dentists to resolve a wide variety of dental concerns. Whatever dental issue you are facing, ask a dentist near you to confirm you’re a good candidate for dental crowns.