All Porcelain Metal Free Crowns
Depending on the type of treatment you require for your dental problems, it might be necessary to:
- Have your tooth restored to its original size and shape
- Supply additional physical support for the treated tooth to prevent it from breaking down
- Get a complete "makeover" on the affected tooth
Often following significant dental work on a tooth, a crown is the most logical restorative option. If your tooth is beyond repair with a filling material, we may recommend that the best viable option to prolong the life of the tooth is a full crown. There are many reasons to place this type of restoration on a badly damaged tooth including:
- Durability
- cosmetic appearance
- overall support of the chewing function
While inlays and onlays cover the chewing surface of the tooth and fillings fill in the empty interior space of the tooth, crowns completely cover every visible part of the tooth - which is why they are sometimes referred to as "caps."
Types of Crowns
If our doctors decide that you are in need of a full crown, there are a few different options for the repair of your tooth. These options include a full porcelain crown, porcelain fused to metal, or a full gold crown. We will discuss these options with you and help you determine which type of crown is the most appropriate for your situation. You can be comfortable in knowing that your new tooth will be virtually unnoticeable and will flawlessly complement the rest of your smile. Our in house laboratory technicians excel in the fabrication of metal free all porcelain crowns. They painstakingly hand fabricate your new teeth using the most durable and esthetic porcelains available. We also have CAD/CAM milling machines that we utilize to mill Emax and Zirconia crowns when indicated. By utilizing our family owned and operated dental lab, we are able to keep the cost of our all porcelain crowns relatively close to that of our other crowns so that cost will usually not be a factor in choosing the correct restoration for you.
Details of the Procedure
When we have decided to proceed with a full crown restoration, we will usually set aside two appointments for the entire process. Although sometimes there is a need for a third visit to ensure a proper fit.
- The dentist will remove all of the decay in the tooth along with any failing filling materials
- The tooth will be prepared by having the outer portion removed to make room for the crown, and any missing tooth structure will be replaced with a core build up
- An impression or a digital scan of your tooth will be taken and sent to our lab where your new restoration will be hand crafted
- You will wear a temporary crown that will resemble your natural teeth, while you wait for your permanent crown to be created
- During your second visit to the office, your new crown will be fitted comfortably into your mouth
- The final step in the process is to cement the crown into your mouth, leaving you with a beautifully restored smile