Dental Crown Services For Columbia, SC
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. If you have a particularly weak tooth that needs to be held together, you have an extremely discolored tooth, or you're concerned about cosmetic looks, a dentist may recommend dental crowns. There are several types of dental crowns that can be used, including ceramic, porcelain, and resin. There are pros and cons to each type of material, but our cosmetic dentistry professional can make a recommendation on which is best for your situation and your tooth.
At our cosmetic dentistry office, we can help you determine if you are a good candidate for dental crowns. This is a very effective treatment used to restore a tooth that has been damaged. Dental crowns are able to:
- cover dental implants
- protect a weak tooth from breaking
- restore a broken or severely worn down tooth
- hold a dental bridge in place
- cover and support a tooth with a large filling
- improve appearance of a tooth
- cover misshapen and/or severely discolored teeth
Benefits of Dental Crowns
There are many ways that a dental crown can be incredibly beneficial for you, your quality of life, and your overall health.
- Relieve Discomfort: Teeth with structural damage can often be quite uncomfortable or painful to deal with. Adding a crown relieves the discomfort and helps you feel normal again.
- Easy Procedure: If you are nervous or tense at the dentist, the ease and efficiency of your dental crown appointments will be a pleasant surprise. The preparation and installation of a dental crown is relatively simple and straightforward.
- Custom Fit: Your dental crown will be designed and measured to fit perfectly. Once your mouth heals from the procedure, you will be able to eat and speak as normal. In fact, you might even forget you have a crown at all!
- Natural Look & Feel: Dental crowns are created with the ultimate goal of matching the appearance of your existing teeth, right down to the color. In fact, many dentists use crowns to correct cosmetic problems as well as structural damage. Your smile will look better than ever!
- Longevity: The materials used to create dental crowns are designed to last for a long time under the trauma of chewing, biting, and grinding food. With regular exams and good hygiene habits, your crowns can last for decades.
What to Expect from Your Dental Crown Appointment
The procedure for installing a dental crown normally takes two visits. During the first visit, our dentist will examine the tooth to ensure it can support a crown, and then start filing in preparation. If your tooth is damaged or broken, filling may be necessary to make sure it is large enough for the dental crown to properly fit over. After your tooth is filed to the correct shape, an impression will be take. This impression, sent to a dental lab, will be used to make the permanent crown. A temporary crown will be placed on the tooth to protect it until the permanent one is ready to be placed.
During your second visit, when the permanent crown is ready, the temporary one is removed and the permanent one is placed. Using a special adhesive, the dental crown is adhered to your tooth. Because there is a foreign object being placed on your teeth, dental crowns can take a bit to get used to. However, after some time, your dental crown should look, function, and feel like the rest of the teeth in your mouth.
Call to Learn More About Dental Crowns!
The cosmetic dentistry professionals with Dr. Richard Yung have the knowledge and experience to know when to suggest a dental crown and to complete the procedure when needed. We proudly provide comprehensive and quality services to patients in the Columbia, SC area. For more information about dental crowns or to schedule your next visit with us, call our office today!