All-Porcelain Crowns Look Most Natural
Posted by Laura Nelson on June 21, 2010
When I was in the grocery store checkout line last week, I overheard two women talking about the dentist:
“My dentist said I needed a crown. I don’t know why he can’t just fill it,” said one.
“Be glad it’s in the back,” said the other, “These caps on my front teeth don’t match, and I’ve got an ugly black line near my gum.”
Patients have many questions like that every day in our practice.
There are several situations that call for crowns. Most often, it’s because a tooth is broken down because of a large area of decay. A filling isn’t strong enough. If the tooth is in front, a crown can be made to exactly match other teeth. Also, a tooth that has been root canaled should be crowned. After a root canal, the tooth loses its blood supply and becomes more brittle and susceptible to fracture.
To put in a crown, the tooth is shaped so the crown can be slid on over the tooth–much like a thimble slides over your finger–and cemented in place. The crown covers the tooth, protecting it from further breakage or decay.
Several types of crowns are available. The first is a full gold crown. Generally done on molars only, they are shiny yellow. An excellent material, the gold stands out, and patients have been moving away from them in recent years. The second type is a porcelain fused to metal crown (PFM). This type is used most often, but does have a couple drawbacks.
When used on front teeth, the natural translucence of teeth is lost. Light cannot pass through the tooth because of the metal composition of the crown. The second issue is the dark line right at the gum line, which cannot be completely concealed.
One of the biggest breakthroughs in cosmetic dentistry is the Porcelain Empress Crown. New bonding technology has allowed dentists to bond these ceramic crowns directly to teeth. This strong bond has made the crown strong enough to function under even heavy chewing pressures.
These all porcelain crowns are the most beautiful and natural-looking crowns I’ve ever placed in a patient’s mouth. There is no metal so they have none of the drawbacks of a PFM. A newly developed pressing system allows them to fit the tooth more accurately, giving incredible fracture resistance.
In the last year, we’ve placed Empress crowns on front teeth almost exclusively, and wherever aesthetics is a concern to the patient. To learn more about all porcelain crowns, ask your dentist, or give us a call.
Dr. Steven Biagini, Dr. Theresa Jansky, and Dr. Mark Beck would like to introduce you to the compassion in dentistry. Glen Ellyn Family Dental Care is at 658 Roosevelt Rd., Glen Ellyn. (630) 858-0216. www.changing smiles.net
Tags:Health & Fitness
