Dental Crowns In West Windsor

What Is A Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are a type of dental prosthetic designed to fully cover a damaged tooth and restore its function and aesthetic. It’s built to mimic the shape and size of your natural tooth, fitting in seamlessly with your smile.

Dental crowns can be made out of many different materials, but the most commonly used is porcelain. Porcelain looks and feels just like your natural enamel, and it’s also extremely durable and stain-resistant. A porcelain crown can last several years with proper oral care.

Why Would I Need A Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are usually used in restorative dentistry. If you have a tooth with severe decay, for example, or a large filling that is failing, a crown may be recommended to protect the remaining tooth structure.

Crowns are also commonly used to treat damaged teeth, such as severe cracks, chips, or breaks. They are sometimes necessary to cap teeth that have been treated with a root canal.

Dental crowns are occasionally used for cosmetic purposes as an alternative to veneers and dental bonding. But because of their strength and durability, aesthetic enhancements are usually just a positive byproduct of necessary treatment.

The Dental Crown Placement Process

It usually only takes two appointments to build and place a crown. At your first appointment, Dr. Sulaiman or Dr. Singh will begin by cleaning your teeth and preparing the tooth for treatment. Your doctor will use a dental drill to remove any decayed or damaged enamel, and shape your tooth into a solid, stable platform onto which the crown can be attached.

Dental impressions and images will be taken of your teeth. These will be sent to a dental lab, where your crown will be made. You’ll be fitted with a temporary crown to protect your prepared tooth until your permanent crown is ready.

Before you leave, a Smile Society team member will work with you to schedule your next appointment. It normally takes 2-3 weeks to build your permanent crown, so we’ll plan for your second visit around then.

At your second appointment, Dr. Singh or Dr. Sulaiman will check the crown to make sure it fits perfectly. Minor adjustments can be made at this time to ensure a comfortable fit. Once the crown feels right, it will be permanently bonded to your prepared tooth, which completes the procedure.

The Benefits Of Dental Crowns

Dental crowns have a few great benefits which make them an ideal restorative treatment.

• Natural look and feel – Your crown will feel just like a normal tooth when you bite and chew, and it will also look completely natural when you speak, smile and laugh.
• Protects your tooth from damage – Crowns are the best way to protect damaged or compromised teeth from further complications.
• Durable and long-lasting – By treating your crown with special care, you can ensure its longevity. Be sure to brush twice per day, floss once per day, and see the team at Smile Society for a teeth cleaning and oral exam every six months. This allows our team to check in on your crown and make sure it’s still in great shape.
  

How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

This depends on the material used for the crown, how well you care for your smile, and a few other factors. For the most part, modern porcelain dental crowns will last somewhere between 10-20 years, and it’s not uncommon for crowns to last 20+ years with proper care.

If you want to keep your crown healthy, the most important thing to do is to brush and floss properly, maintain a healthy diet, and avoid lifestyle habits that could raise your risk of tooth decay and gum disease, such as smoking or drinking to excess. You also should see Dr. Sulaiman or Dr. Singh for a checkup every six months, so that they can check on the integrity of your crown and the health of the underlying tooth. 

By taking good care of your mouth, you can reduce the risk of decay forming underneath the crown. This is the most common cause of premature crown failure. As the decay spreads, the connection between the tooth and the crown weakens, which can cause it to loosen.

Does It Hurt To Get A Crown?

No. The crown preparation process is completely pain-free. Dr. Singh or Dr. Sulaiman will need to remove decayed and damaged enamel from your tooth and trim it to prepare it for the crown. But during this process, your mouth will be completely numb, so you will not feel any pain or discomfort.

Your tooth may feel a little bit sore after your appointment, but this should fade in a day or two, and your temporary crown will protect it until your permanent crown can be built and placed in 2-3 weeks.

What’s The Alternative To Getting A Crown?

This depends on the reason that you need a dental crown. For example, if you’re considering dental crowns for cosmetic reasons, like covering up stained or misshapen teeth, Dr. Singh or Dr. Sulaiman may suggest other treatments like dental bonding or porcelain veneers.

This is because veneers require much less of your tooth to be trimmed, since they only cover up the front of the teeth, and bonding requires no tooth trimming at all. If your teeth are healthy, it’s usually best to avoid crowns, when possible, simply because they require more healthy enamel to be removed.

If you need a crown to restore a damaged or decayed tooth, though, there are not as many other good options. Dr. Singh and Dr. Sulaiman will only recommend a crown to repair your tooth if other treatments like dental fillings are not suitable for your condition. 

If you don’t get a crown when Dr. Singh and Dr. Sulaiman recommend treatment, your condition will likely grow worse. If you have a cavity or a broken tooth, it will continue to decay and may even become infected and require root canal therapy or tooth extraction.

To learn more and see if you need a dental crown in West Windsor, contact the team at Smile Society General Dentistry for an appointment. You can give us a call at (609) 779-2054 to get started right away.

Contact Us For A Restorative Dentistry Consultation Today!

At Smile Society, both Dr. Mandeep Singh and Dr. Munira Sulaiman have years of experience in restorative dentistry. To schedule your appointment and see if a dental crown is right for you, just give us a call at (609) 779-2054, or stop by our office at 335 Princeton Hightstown Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550.