Greensboro dentist explains the dental crowns process

Cracked, chipped, or misshapen teeth can be damaging to your appearance. Dental crowns are a versatile and effective cosmetic modification that can improve the look of your smile while also protecting and restoring strength to your teeth. If you have decayed or damaged teeth, Dr. Hatcher and the team at Triad Dentistry in Greensboro, explain how dental crowns may be the solution for you.

Initial examination

During this appointment, Dr. Hatcher will evaluate the tooth to determine the cause of the issue and formulate a treatment plan. Teeth that have small cavities may only require a filling to be restored. Sometimes the cavity can appear small, but has actually gone deep into the tooth, necessitating a crown. Once it is determined that a crown is the best method for restoration, preparation for the crown can begin.

Preparation

Most of the time, your custom crown can be fabricated in our office using state of art prime scan technology. In these cases, only one visit is needed to both design and permanently cement your new crown. However, sometimes the Doctor may decide to use a different material that would require your crown to be made in an offsite lab.

In these cases, impressions are taken and sent to a lab for custom fabrication of a permanent crown. In the meantime, you will be fitted with a temporary restoration. This allows us to protect the tooth and gives you the functionality to chew and speak properly while waiting for the permanent crown.

Permanent placement

Once your permanent crown has arrived at our office, we will schedule you to have it placed. Dr. Hatcher will begin by removing the temporary restoration and will clean and prepare the tooth. He will evaluate the fit, alignment, and color of your new crown before adhering it permanently with special dental cement.

With proper dental care and hygiene, dental crowns can last as long as fifteen years. Avoiding habits such as grinding your teeth will help ensure they don’t crack or chip. Porcelain crowns are a biocompatible material that looks similar to natural tooth enamel. Porcelain is durable and provides patients with a healthy and natural looking restoration. Crowns can be used for a variety of reasons including anchoring a dental bridge, covering a dental implant, or cosmetically for patients who are unable to receive porcelain veneers.

If you have teeth that are broken, damaged, or decayed, call Triad Dentistry today to schedule an appointment. We will be happy to perform an initial evaluation and decide on the best solution to restore beauty and functionality to your smile.

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Dr. Steven Hatcher

Dr. Chad Merrell

Dr. Sona Isharani

Dr. Victoria Santiago-Coiro

Dr. Chavala M. Harris

Dr. Steven Hatcher, Dr. Chad Merrell, Dr. Sona Isharani, Dr. Victoria Santiago-Coiro, and Dr. Chavala M. Harris comprise the team of qualified and experienced doctors at Triad Dentistry. They are passionate and driven professionals who strive to preserve and enhance the natural beauty in every dental treatment. Together with the other members of the team, they focus on developing an individualist approach when it comes to treating patients to ensure patient care is a tailor-made experience for the comfort of each client.