If you have a large cavity or a damaged tooth, a dental crown is the best choice for restoring your smile. With a crown from Dr. Cherukuri at Harrisburg Smiles, you can restore the natural appearance of your smile and the function of your bite, eliminate pain and discomfort, and prevent further discomfort and complications related to damaged teeth. Contact us online now to schedule your consultation today.
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are a type of tooth-shaped dental prosthesis, and are typically made of porcelain. They are designed to restore the shape, function, and appearance of teeth that have been severely damaged.
The crown is built to completely replace your remaining tooth enamel, and is applied after the tooth material has been trimmed. Once the crown is in place, it completely covers up the tooth all the way down to the gumline.
By covering up and replacing the natural tooth, the crown protects the remaining healthy tooth material from future decay and injuries, and restores both your appearance and the natural function of your bite.
Crowns are typically recommended when patients have a very large cavity that can’t be treated with a filling, or if they have an infected tooth that requires root canal therapy. Crowns are applied after the root canal to protect the treated tooth and restore it.
In addition, crowns are commonly used for cracked, deeply-chipped, or broken teeth. If your tooth cracks due to an accident or dental trauma, a crown can be used to restore the tooth and prevent further complications, such as a tooth infection.
The Dental Crown Process
The process of getting a dental crown usually requires two appointments after your initial consultation, and will take about 2-3 weeks. To begin the process, Dr. Cherukuri will need to prepare your tooth for the crown.
Your mouth will be cleaned and numbed, then your tooth will be trimmed to remove any enamel that’s damaged, decayed, or otherwise compromised. The remaining structure will be shaped into a small, stable platform for your dental crown. Then, you will get impressions and images taken of your tooth.
These details will be sent over to our partner dental lab, where your crown will be built, and then will be sent back to our office. This takes about 2-3 weeks, so Dr. Cherukuri will bond a temporary resin crown in place to protect your newly-trimmed tooth.
