Dental crowns used to be made of metals like gold, but are now primarily made from tooth-like porcelain materials that look and feel just like a real tooth.
To begin the process, you’ll need to come into our McKinney dental office for an appointment with Dr. Lee. He will examine your tooth and determine if a crown is the right choice for your unique situation.
Depending on the circumstances, you may come in for a separate appointment, or this may be done right after your consultation. Dr. Lee will clean and numb the treatment site. Then, he will use a dental drill to remove damaged enamel from the tooth and shape it into a sturdy, stable platform for your dental crown.
After your tooth is trimmed, Dr. Lee will take impressions and images of your tooth. Our team will send these to our partner dental lab, where your permanent porcelain crown will be made. Dr. Lee will attach a temporary crown to your tooth to protect it and send you home.
After 2-3 weeks, your porcelain crown will be sent to our office. You’ll come back to Experience Dental one last time. Dr. Lee will remove your temporary crown, check the fit of your porcelain crown, and then bond it into place permanently.
Dental crowns are usually recommended for cracked and broken teeth, or for teeth that have large cavities that are not suitable for treatment with dental fillings. They are also often used alongside root canal therapy to treat infected teeth.
Crowns also may be used purely for cosmetic reasons, but this is less common. That’s because cosmetic dentistry treatments like veneers and dental bondings are less expensive and invasive than crowns, and offer similar results.
Crowns last a very long time with proper oral hygiene. If you take good care of your mouth, you can expect your crown to last between 10-20 years. During your routine six-month visits at Experience Dental, Dr. Lee will check on your crown to make sure it’s in great shape.
Crowns can be treated just like natural teeth. Make sure to brush twice a day for two minutes, floss once a day, and see Dr. Lee for a teeth cleaning and oral exam every six months.
If you want your crown to last as long as possible, you should also take other steps to improve your oral health, such as cutting back on sweetened beverages and alcohol, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy diet.