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Crowns

What are Crowns?

A crown is a tooth shaped covering that is placed over your natural tooth to strengthen and protect your tooth. It seals out plaque and bacteria and prevents further decay.

Do I need a Crown?

There are several reasons why someone may need a crown.

• If an old filling needs to be replaced, placing a crown instead of a larger filling prevents further weakening of the natural tooth structure.
• A large cavity or broken tooth may not have enough healthy tooth structure left to support a filling.
• Sometimes old crowns have decay around their margins, or edges and need to be replaced to avoid losing the natural tooth underneath.

What are my alternatives?

• Large Filling - there has to be enough tooth structure to support a filling, lack of tooth structure could lead to the tooth breaking. After a tooth breaks, more extensive treatment is needed and sometimes the tooth needs to be extracted. A large filling can be used as a short term, temporary solution in some cases.
• Extraction - If an extracted tooth is not replaced, the remaining teeth around the area can shift, causing your biting forces to change and possibly causing other teeth to break. Bone where the tooth once was can also be reabsorbed by the body.
• Waiting on Treatment - Deciding to wait to treat a tooth is always an option, but sometimes can lead to further complications. A tooth with extensive decay could break, causing pain and the need for immediate treatment. The tooth could also decay further to the nerve of the tooth, causing a need for a root canal or extraction.

What happens at my appointment?

• In order to determine if a crown is ideal for you, first we perform a thorough exam of your mouth, including x-rays if necessary.
• Once we determine that a crown is right for you, we will then discuss the best kind of crown for your situation, taking into account functional, aesthetic and budget concerns.
• We will begin by taking an impression of your original tooth in order to make a temporary crown at the end of your appointment.
• We will completely numb the affected area of your mouth and remove any decay or old filling material and shape your tooth to hold the crown.
• If necessary, we will place a build up to ensure there is enough tooth structure to support the crown (read more about build up).
• We will take a final impression of your prepped tooth to send to the dental lab where they will precision craft a crown to perfectly match your teeth. It usually takes about two weeks for the crown to return to our office.
• Lastly we will use the first impression we took and make a temporary crown to cover and protect your tooth during the time between the first and second appointments.

• At the second appointment we will remove the temporary crown and check to be sure the fit and aesthetics of the permanent crown are perfect.
• If necessary, we will numb the affected part of your mouth.
• The tooth is sanitized and then the crown is permanently cemented in place. Depending on the type of crown and the kind of adhesive used, your new crown will be ready for normal chewing anytime from when you leave the office until about 24 hours after you leave. We will advise you about proper care of your crown to ensure it lasts for years to come.

After your Appointment (Post Operative Instructions)

Temporary Crowns or Bridges

• Try to avoid eating and or chewing until the anesthetic has completely worn off to avoid biting your tongue or the inside of your cheek.
• Try to avoid chewing anything sticky or chewy on the side of your mouth where the temporary is located. A temporary crown is just that, temporary and can be dislodged by chewing.
• Floss carefully around the tooth where the temporary is located. Push the floss between the teeth and then pull the floss out the side in order to avoid lifting the temporary off. We can demonstrate proper flossing for the temporary.
• Some sensitivity is normal underneath the temporary and should go away once we place the permanent crown. Call us if it gets worse as time goes by.
• Your gums may be slightly sore after your appointment. That is normal and gently rinsing with warm salt water should help. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of table salt in 1 cup of warm water and very gently rinse the sore area of your mouth.
• If your temporary comes off you can try to put it back in place yourself. If it goes back into place and seems to be staying then you don’t need to call us but if it keeps coming off or you can’t get it back into place, please give us a call. It is important that the tooth underneath stays protected until the permanent crown or only is placed.
• If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to contact our staff at 315.536.3341 or use our contact form.

After Permanent Crown has been Placed

• Avoid chewing until the anesthetic has worn off completely to avoid biting your lips and cheek. This can cause painful sores.
• Brush and floss normally once the cement has fully set. We will advise you as to how long this will take.
• If you experience sensitivity in the first day or so that is normal, call us if the sensitivity gets worse or persists beyond several days.
• It is also normal for your gums to be tender around the new crown, rinsing gently with warm salt water can help keep the area clean and comfortable. Just dissolve 1 teaspoon of table salt in 1 cup of warm water and swish gently.
• Call us if your bite feels “off,” sensitivity gets worse or won’t go away or if you have any other questions or concerns.

Before / After

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