What is Dental crown or cap? A dental crown is a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth -- to cover the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and improve its appearance.
The crowns, when cemented into place, fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.
The image showing below is the example that how tooth looks after placing the cap. This patient had injured tooth on upper front portion of mouth and then came to Aum Dental and Oral Health Care Centre (located in shalimar garden). Patient advised for RCT and then Cap and the final result is shown here.
Why is Dental crown needed? A dental crown may be needed in the following situations:
* To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
* To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
* To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left
* To hold a dental bridge in place
* To cover misshapened or severely discolored teeth
* To cover a dental implant
* To make a cosmetic modification
For children, a crown may be used on primary (baby) teeth in order to:
* Save a tooth that has been so damaged by decay that it can't support a filling.
* Protect the teeth of a child at high risk for tooth decay, especially when a child has difficulty keeping up with daily oral hygiene.
* Decrease the frequency of general anesthesia for children unable because of age, behavior, or medical history to fully cooperate with the requirements of proper dental care.
In such cases, a pediatric dentist is likely to recommend a stainless steel crown.
what types of dental crown are available?
* Metallic crown
* Metal - ceramic crown
* Full ceramic crown
what problem could develop with a dental crown?
Your newly crowned tooth may be sensitive immediately after the procedure as the anesthesia begins to wear off. If the tooth that has been crowned still has a nerve in it, you may experience some heat and cold sensitivity. Your dentist may recommend that you brush teeth with toothpaste designed for sensitive tooth. Pain or sensitivity that occurs when you bite down usually means that the crown is too high on the tooth. If this is the case, call your dentist. He or she can easily fix the problem.
Chipped crown. Crowns made of all porcelain can sometimes chip. If the chip is small, a composite resin can be used to repair the chip with the crown remaining in your mouth. If the chipping is extensive, the crown may need to be replaced.
Loose crown. Sometimes the cement washes out from under the crown. Not only does this allow the crown to become loose, it allows bacteria to leak in and cause decay to the tooth that remains. If a crown feels loose, contact your dentist's office.
Crown falls off. Sometimes crowns fall off. Usually this is due to an improper fit, a lack of cement, or a very small amount of tooth structure remaining that the crown can hold on to. If this happens, clean the crown and the front of the tooth. You can replace the crown temporarily using dental adhesive or temporary tooth cement that is sold in stores for this purpose. Contact your dentist's office immediately. He or she will give you specific instructions on how to care for the tooth and crown for the day or so until you can be seen for an evaluation. Your dentist may be able to re-cement the crown in place; if not, a new crown will need to be made.
Allergic reaction;-. Because the metals used to make crowns are usually a mixture of metals, an allergic reaction to the metals or porcelain used in crowns can occur, but this is extremely rare.
Dark line on crowned tooth next to the gum line. A dark line next to the gum line of your crowned tooth is normal, particularly if you have a metal - ceramic crown. This dark line is simply the metal of the crown showing through. While not a problem in itself, the dark line is cosmetically unacceptable and your dentist may have to replace the crown with full ceramic crown with extra fee.