Crown

Crowns are custom made restorations made in a dental laboratory from materials like porcelain, or gold or a combination of both materials.

Crowns are typically used to restore a tooth's contours, function and esthetics following a procedure such as a root canal or when decay in a tooth has become so advanced that large portions of the tooth must be removed or if a tooth is cracked or fractured..

Crowns are used to cover damaged teeth and restore dental implants

Procedures

A tooth must usually be reduced in size to accommodate a crown fititng over the tooth and not affecting the bite.. Following tooth preparation an impression is made. The impression is sent to a dental laboratory who then manufactures a custom-designed crown. In esthtic cases the dental ceramist comes to Dr. Vito's office and spends time with the patient ensuring the proper color and esthetics to the patients satisfaction prior to permanently cementing the crown or crowns in place.

Caring For Your Crowns

With proper care, a good quality crown could last up to eight years or longer. It is very important to fcare for your crowns in the same way you woulkd care for your teeth taking care to avoid excess plaque or collection of debris around both your teeth and crowns.

Certain behaviors such as jaw clenching or bruxism (teeth grinding) significantly shorten the life of a crown. Moreover, eating brittle foods, ice or hard candy can compromise the adhesion of the crown, or even damage the crown. If you display evidence of grinding, Dr. Vito may suggest a "bite guard" to protect your teeth and restorations.