Signs That You Need a Dental Crown

August 28 2019 by Mills Haven Dental

What is a Dental Crown?

A Dental Crown is a "cap" used as a restoration aid to help a tooth with its shape, appearance and function. You would need a dental crown when your tooth has become so weak or brittle due to decay or damage in isolation that it requires a protection cover over it to maintain its overall appearance or function.

Needing a dental crown can result from an assortment of reasons, but it is essentially one of the final steps you can take in terms of dental protection for a damaged tooth, before a dental professional declares the tooth as damaged as a loss beyond any further repair. If a tooth is no longer salvageable, it may require an extraction to be performed on the tooth to prevent further damage done to its surrounding gums and other teeth nearby.

Types of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns can be made from different types of materials: gold, metal, composite, porcelain, or even porcelain-fused-to-metal-crowns. Your dentist can even colour match the porcelain or composite to a shade that will best suit your smile!

Thanks to the advancement of technology in the dental industry throughout the years, the most popular choices for in the most recent years include:

• Composite Crowns are natural in appearance but can be stained easily due to wear and tear over time. Albeit less durable than gold or metal materials in nature, composite crowns are the top choice for dental crowns among patients today.
• Porcelain Crowns are typically used on the anterior teeth. The upside to porcelain crowns is that they look the most natural in terms of visual appearance and texture. However, porcelain is also more prone to chipping and breakage; hence, it is not usually used for any of the back teeth for dental patients.
• Child's Teeth Crowns are more complex because a child’s teeth continues to shift as they grow up. It is best to speak with your dental professional directly regarding implementation of a dental crown for your child.

Why Do We Need Dental Crowns?

You may encounter a number of situations throughout your life where you may be given the option to go for a dental crown. Some of these reasons may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Tooth weakness and proneness for tooth decay
• Worn down teeth and filling breakage from decay or damage from too large of a filling
• Injury or Broken Cusps (jagged edges of your tooth used to chew food)
• Excessive use and damage from teeth grinding, acid reflux disease, and more
• Chipped or Broken Teeth causing tooth, gum or mouth pain
• Root Canal
• Dental Implants/Surgery

What To Do If You Think You May Need a Dental Crown

The Canadian Dental Association recommends getting a dental crown if given the option because it is essential to your overall oral health. A dental crown can help reduce the possibility of further decay around the damaged tooth's area and assist in the prevention of gum recession (gums pulling away from teeth or gum that is pulled away from the tooth).

If you feel like any of the above conditions listed for the need of a dental crown resonates with you, we would highly recommend for you to speak with a dental professional and to seek assistance as soon as possible.