If you have a damaged or misshapen tooth, it can cause quite a bit of discomfort and perhaps even embarrassment. Fortunately, Dr. Nawrocki offers restorative services that can help that tooth to look and feel its best once again. He might recommend that you receive dental crowns from our Cocoa Beach, FL dentist. This relatively simple procedure may be the key to renewing your smile’s health and beauty. Our dental office even features CEREC technology, which can enable you to get a crown in just one appointment!
What Is a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns in Cocoa Beach are tooth-shaped “caps” that fit over the entire visible portion of a tooth (everything above the gumline). A crown’s job is usually to strengthen and fortify a damaged tooth. Some common circumstances that call for a crown include:
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A tooth is worn down
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A tooth has recently undergone root canal therapy
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A tooth has a cavity that is too large to be treated with a regular filling
Crowns can be made out of various materials, but porcelain is a popular option due to its lifelike appearance. If you require a metal crown, gold or porcelain fused to metal might work for you.
The Dental Crown Process
The traditional method for designing and placing a crown requires at least two appointments. At the first appointment, the tooth is prepared to receive the crown. This typically involves filing the tooth down so it will fit well beneath its restoration. Then, our team takes detailed impressions to serve as the basis for designing the crown. You wear a temporary restoration while a trustworthy local dental laboratory creates your permanent one. The crown gets attached to your tooth at your second appointment, which may be 2 – 3 weeks after the first one.
Alternatively, you might qualify for a CEREC crown. Dr. Nawrocki has invested in state-of-the-art technology that can create a permanent porcelain crown right here in our dental office. This process takes just one appointment and eliminates the need for a temporary restoration.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
Dental crowns offer some outstanding benefits:
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Beautiful appearance. Your dentist in Cocoa Beach can customize porcelain crowns to be virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth.
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Improved comfort. By protecting damaged teeth, you will be able to eat a wide range of foods with ease.
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Preserve your teeth. Crowns prevent damaged teeth from suffering further damage and may spare them from extraction.
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Easy maintenance. You can treat crowns similarly to natural teeth. With a few reasonable precautions, you can help your crown to endure for many years. Their typical lifespan is a decade or longer.
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Insurance coverage. Dental insurance usually covers about half the cost of crowns, up to the amount of a plan’s annual maximum.
Dental Crowns FAQs
Interested in getting a dental crown from a restorative dentist in Cocoa Beach? From improving your appearance to protecting your tooth and offering durability, there’s a lot to like about adding a crown to your smile. At Nawrocki Dental of Cocoa Beach, we’ll go over all the details of this choice during your consultation so you can feel confident in your decision. Before you even sit down with one of our dentists, keep reading to check out some frequently asked questions from our patients about dental crowns.
Do Dental Crowns Get Cavities?
While it’s technically impossible for a crown to develop a cavity, the tooth underneath it still could. A crowned tooth has a similar risk of decay compared to an uncrowned one. Poor oral hygiene makes it possible for bacteria and plaque to form where the tooth meets the crown; if they spread underneath the crown, it could mean major trouble for the tooth. Cavity prevention for crowned teeth is the same method as uncrowned – daily brushing and flossing with regular checkups and cleanings.
Does It Hurt to Get a Dental Crown?
Your dentist numbs the tooth they need to work on when you get a crown. That usually means a topical anesthetic, but if you have severe anxiety, they may use dental sedation. Of course, they’ll check to see what you prefer. After your tooth is prepped for a crown, it may be sensitive for a few days, particularly if you also had a root canal. Since a crown protects a vulnerable tooth from damage, in the long run, it will likely prevent pain instead of causing any!
What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Get a Dental Crown?
Waiting too long to get dental crowns in Cocoa Beach can have some detrimental consequences on your oral health and your wallet. For example, if the root of the problem is decay, the infection can continue to delve deeper into the tooth, increasing your risk of needing a root canal or an extraction. Therefore, it’s always best to schedule the procedure sooner rather than later.
What’s the Difference Between a Temporary Crown and a Permanent Crown?
As you might expect, a temporary crown is not meant to last a long time – just a few weeks while your permanent crown is fabricated in a lab. Temporary ones are made from inexpensive materials like acrylic or composite resin. They are bonded with weak cement, so removal is easy when it’s time for your permanent crown to be placed. Your permanent one will be bonded with stronger cement and made of more durable materials like gold, silver, porcelain-bonded-to-metal, or ceramic to withstand chewing and biting pressure for at least 5-15 years. (We use porcelain for anterior teeth, platinum-plus for metal-with-porcelain crowns, and zirconium is also an option.) Also, consider that we offer same-day CEREC crowns.
