Some Cosmetic Alternatives to Dental Crowns
Should a dental crown ever be used as a means to improve the appearance of a tooth?
We do not recommend using a dental crown simply to restore the appearance of a tooth. While it is true that a crown does look like a natural tooth, an alternative to a dental crown should be used if only cosmetic improvements to the tooth are called for.
The reason for this is due to the fact that dentists have to reshape a tooth before crowning it. This involves grinding a portion of the tooth away. Many times, a significant amount of tooth mass must be removed in order to make the tooth suitable for crowning. This defeats the purpose of tooth repair in a way, because it is actually taking away a portion of the tooth only to make it look better.
If you simply want to improve the appearance of your teeth, there are alternatives to dental crowns that can be just as effective in upgrading their cosmetic appearance. Some examples of these alternatives to crowns include porcelain veneer, dental bonding, or professional teeth whitening services.
Could you describe briefly what each of these cosmetic dental restorations do? Yes.
Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic sheets that we bond to your front teeth. They do an excellent job of covering pits and discoloration in the tooth enamel.
Dental bonding can be used to treat teeth that have suffered minor decay or have been damaged by small cracks.
Professional tooth whitening is used to restore the color of stained teeth. This procedure is excellent for those who have smoked or drank a lot of coffee over the years and watched their teeth grow yellow.
Is a dental filling a good alternative to placing a dental crown?
We do not recommend using the traditional silver-mercury amalgam fillings. They are not biofriendly per se, and they will fall out after several years.
Small cavities can be filled with dental bonding. The determining factor here is the remaining amount of original tooth mass that exists after decay is removed. The tooth must be able to withstand normal chewing and biting.
Should I have the tooth extracted?
No. Removing a tooth will cause problems for surrounding teeth, which need it for support. Dental implants are the ideal cosmetic and functional solution for teeth that have been lost or that are too far gone to save, but they are not recommended options for those who simply want to improve the appearance of one or two teeth in the front of their mouth.
So when do I need a dental crown?
If the tooth is actually damaged and can no longer function as an implement of biting and chewing, or if decay threatens the root and a root canal has to be performed, that is when we crown the tooth to both seal it against future infection and improve its cosmetic virtue.
We do not recommend using a dental crown simply to restore the appearance of a tooth. While it is true that a crown does look like a natural tooth, an alternative to a dental crown should be used if only cosmetic improvements to the tooth are called for.
The reason for this is due to the fact that dentists have to reshape a tooth before crowning it. This involves grinding a portion of the tooth away. Many times, a significant amount of tooth mass must be removed in order to make the tooth suitable for crowning. This defeats the purpose of tooth repair in a way, because it is actually taking away a portion of the tooth only to make it look better.
If you simply want to improve the appearance of your teeth, there are alternatives to dental crowns that can be just as effective in upgrading their cosmetic appearance. Some examples of these alternatives to crowns include porcelain veneer, dental bonding, or professional teeth whitening services.
Could you describe briefly what each of these cosmetic dental restorations do? Yes.
Porcelain veneers are thin ceramic sheets that we bond to your front teeth. They do an excellent job of covering pits and discoloration in the tooth enamel.
Dental bonding can be used to treat teeth that have suffered minor decay or have been damaged by small cracks.
Professional tooth whitening is used to restore the color of stained teeth. This procedure is excellent for those who have smoked or drank a lot of coffee over the years and watched their teeth grow yellow.
Is a dental filling a good alternative to placing a dental crown?
We do not recommend using the traditional silver-mercury amalgam fillings. They are not biofriendly per se, and they will fall out after several years.
Small cavities can be filled with dental bonding. The determining factor here is the remaining amount of original tooth mass that exists after decay is removed. The tooth must be able to withstand normal chewing and biting.
Should I have the tooth extracted?
No. Removing a tooth will cause problems for surrounding teeth, which need it for support. Dental implants are the ideal cosmetic and functional solution for teeth that have been lost or that are too far gone to save, but they are not recommended options for those who simply want to improve the appearance of one or two teeth in the front of their mouth.
So when do I need a dental crown?
If the tooth is actually damaged and can no longer function as an implement of biting and chewing, or if decay threatens the root and a root canal has to be performed, that is when we crown the tooth to both seal it against future infection and improve its cosmetic virtue.
Labels: alternatives to dental crowns, benefits of cosmetic porcelain dental crowns, crowns
posted by Dental Expert at
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