Dental Crowns - Greenwood, SC
Cover Cavities, Bring Back Your Smile
One of the most common procedures in dentistry is dental crowns in Greenwood, SC. These restorations, also known as caps, work to strengthen teeth weakened either by decay or injury. Not only can they hide cosmetic imperfections, but they can restore decayed teeth, saving them from an extraction. Fused together, they can also be used to create a complex bridge.
Have you been told that you need a dental crown or bridge? At Tylan Creek Family Dentistry located in Greenwood, you can receive a highly detailed, customized restoration that provides you with reliable smiles for many years! Call our office to learn how.
What are Dental Crowns?
Crowns are restorative coverings that work to improve the form or function of a compromised tooth. Once created, it can be securely placed and bonded on top of a tooth previously reshaped to act as an anchor.
Dental crowns can be made of a variety of materials, but one of the most common materials used today is ceramic/porcelain. Many practices will use gold, zirconia, or silver amalgam to create a dental crown. We’ll help you choose a crown that fits your preference, but we often recommend porcelain thanks to its combined aesthetics and longevity.
Are Dental Bridges the Same Thing?
Dental bridges are made up of several crowns fused together and are designed to replace missing teeth, rather than simply repair them. Depending on the number of teeth missing, they can be used to replace individual or multiple consecutive teeth. To stay in place, bridges are attached to modified teeth that sit adjacent to the gap in your smile. Once placed, you should experience improved chewing, speaking, and smiling as well as a reduced risk of neighboring teeth shifting out of place.
How Do Dentists Provide Crowns?
Our office is happy to provide two different types of dental crowns. This includes CEREC crowns and traditionally fabricated crowns that rely on an outside dental lab. To receive a traditional crown, a temporary crown is first placed, then a permanent one replaces it a few weeks later after it’s been fabricated. Our dentists are happy to provide the best crown based on their needs. To do this, we perform a detailed exam to confirm the health and condition of your existing tooth structure.
Tylan Creek Family Dentistry is happy to incorporate CEREC (chairside economical restoration of esthetic ceramics) into its practice. This method allows us to not only design your crown in-house more effectively but fabricate and place it all in the same appointment. This is thanks to the technology’s CAD/CAM software and dedicated milling machine.
To prepare your tooth for a dental crown, we first need to remove any decay or damaged tissue. After the enamel is sufficiently shaped, we capture a digital scan of the tooth and send it to the CEREC software. From there, our dentists can use it as a digital impression to create the most accurate restoration possible. Finally, we bond it to the tooth and make sure your bite remains even before sending you on your way.
What’s the Best Way to Keep Crowns Healthy?
Crowns and bridges can last for 5 to 15 years on average, but they will last the longest when you brush twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste and floss at least once a day. Keep in mind that tooth decay will not develop in restorations since they are inorganic in nature. However, the tooth underneath it can still become damaged by bacteria.
Additionally, you should wear a mouthguard whenever playing contact sports or nightguard if you have a teeth grinding habit, which is most common during sleep. Biannual visits to our office will allow us to confirm no problems are present with your restoration. If for any reason your dental bridge becomes damaged, give us a call.