Dental Crowns – Yarmouth, ME
A Royal Treatment for Damaged or Decayed Teeth
Having a broken or injured tooth can impact the way you look as well as your oral health. Not only can severe chips and cracks be unsightly and leave you feeling self-conscious, but they also allow bacteria to penetrate the vulnerable pulp inside your tooth and cause an infection.
Thankfully, Dr. Nguyen can provide a royal treatment for damaged or decayed teeth with dental crowns. These tooth-shaped prosthetics can simultaneously restore your smile’s appearance and functionality. Continue reading below to learn more about them, and feel free to contact us for additional information.
Why Choose Yarmouth, ME for Dental Crowns?
- Natural-Looking Tooth-Colored Materials
- Advanced Technology for Enhanced Patient Comfort
- Flexible Financing Available
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that’s usually made of durable ceramic or resin that’s designed to fit over an injured tooth. They are often required for teeth that are too far gone to be effectively fixed with bonding or a filling. They can be customized to match the shape, shade, and size of your natural teeth so no one can tell the difference. These prosthetics are often used to:
- Preserve a damaged tooth’s functionality.
- Restore a broken tooth’s appearance.
- Top a dental implant to rebuild your smile.
- Cover a treated tooth after a root canal to protect it from injury or infection.
- Anchor a dental bridge in place.
The Dental Crown Process
It might vary slightly based on your unique situation, but typically, you can expect the following steps when getting a dental crown in Yarmouth:
- First appointment. You’ll consult with Dr. Nguyen about your concerns and he’ll examine your mouth to determine whether you’re a good candidate for a dental crown. If so, our team will prepare your tooth by removing a small amount of enamel, so that your prosthetic fits correctly. Then, we’ll make digital impressions of your teeth, gums, and bite alignment to design a dental crown that will fit like a glove. Before you leave, we’ll fit you with a temporary crown to safeguard your smile until the permanent one arrives.
- Second appointment. Our team sends the information, images, and impressions to a special dental laboratory that uses them to build your fully individualized restoration. Once it’s delivered, we’ll schedule you for a final fitting and, if everything aligns as intended, will cement it in place.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
Being fitted with a customized dental crown provides many advantages, including:
- Preserves your oral health. If you leave an injured tooth untreated, it can sustain additional injury or develop disease and decay that can affect your other teeth, gums, and jawbone.
- Restores your tooth’s functionality. These prosthetics allow you to continue using your damaged tooth to bite, chew, and speak like usual.
- Looks lifelike. No one will know it's an artificial tooth because it’s made from materials that reflect light like enamel.
- Long-lasting. This cap can last 15+ years if cared for correctly.
- Easy maintenance. Brushing and flossing twice daily and seeing our team every 6 months for a routine checkup is all that’s needed to keep your crown in great shape.
Dental Crown FAQs
Are Dental Crowns Permanent?
Although they are a long-term solution, dental crowns do not last forever. The best way to prevent yours from coming loose or getting damaged is by committing to good oral hygiene habits (i.e., flossing consistently, wearing a mouthguard during sports, brushing your teeth twice a day). Of course, it’s equally as important to avoid bad ones as well, including smoking, eating extremely crunchy foods, and skipping your biannual dental checkups.
How Do You Know When a Dental Crown Needs to Be Replaced?
During your biannual visits, our dedicated Yarmouth dentist, Dr. Nguyen, will examine the condition of your dental crown. Between visits, it’s important that you keep an eye out for warning signs of trouble, like pain when biting down, instability, or a dark line at the crown’s base. If that’s the case, then take the next step: reach out to us so we can learn more about your symptoms and determine if a same-day visit to our office is necessary.
Do Dental Crowns Get Cavities?
Dental crowns are artificial, so they cannot decay! Of course, your underlying tooth can still develop a cavity, and your gums can develop an infection, so it’s important that you don’t let your commitment to good oral hygiene habits wane. In other words, even though dental crowns are cavity-proof, you still need to brush and floss consistently at home and come to our office every six months for a dental checkup and cleaning.
Do Dental Crowns Feel Natural?
They do! After all, they are custom-made for each patient, ensuring they don’t protrude unnaturally or feel bulky. Plus, they are durable enough to stand up to everyday chewing forces, and the materials they are crafted from are smooth, so it won’t feel weird when you run your tongue over the surface. Basically, with enough time, you may even forget which tooth has a crown!
What’s the Difference Between a Temporary Crown and a Permanent Crown?
Temporary crowns look very similar to permanent crowns, but they are quite different. One of the biggest differences is that they are bonded with a weak cement so that they can easily be removed when it’s time to place your permanent crown. As a result, we ask that you don’t chew on that side of your mouth and that you exercise caution when brushing and flossing around it. Of course, once your permanent crown is securely in place, you won’t have to take the same precautions.
Can Dental Crowns Be Whitened?
Although dental crowns look and feel just like your real teeth, there are a few considerable differences between the
two, including that dental crowns cannot be whitened. Fortunately, they are made from stain-resistant materials, so
noticeable discoloration typically isn’t a big concern. Of course, if there comes a time when you are no
longer happy with the color of your restoration, you can always schedule an appointment with us so we can review
your treatment options.