Dental Crowns
Quality Treatment in Restorative Dentistry
What if your smile doesn’t quite have gaps, but one or more of your teeth needs a drastic improvement? Dental crowns fulfill this very purpose. Our Downtown Dentists have extensive experience with the placement of dental crowns and would be happy to help. Patients with severely cracked, damaged, or decaying teeth can place their concerns in the hands of our skilled dentists.
How Dental Crowns Work
Dental crowns are customized coverings made of metal, ceramic, or porcelain. The common goal is to restore strength, eliminate discomfort, and improve the look of the treated tooth.
Our dentists determine which type of dental crown to recommend based on your individual needs and preferences. For example, metal crowns are the strongest, most durable option, but they may not be the best choice for more prominently situated teeth. The ceramic and porcelain types of crowns are each tooth-colored. While the ceramic crown looks most natural, the porcelain fused to metal option is stronger. We opt for metal-free dentistry options whenever possible for the benefit of our patients, as the restorations look more natural and appealing.
The dental crown placement procedure, like that of dental implants, is done in two stages. Initially, one of our dentists will remove part of your tooth to accommodate the dental crown. The next step is to make an impression in order to create a customized crown. Since the process of manufacturing the crown takes two weeks, you will be fitted with a temporary dental crown during your initial visit to our Downtown Houston practice. Finally, your laboratory-crafted dental crowns will be put into place.
Why Choose Dental Crowns
In addition to strengthening badly damaged teeth and alleviating tooth pain, dental crowns serve other functions in restorative dentistry. For instance, a dental crown may be used to support bridgework or top the posts of dental implants. They can also be a more practical alternative to porcelain veneers, since they more comprehensively enhance the appearance and functionality of the teeth.
Many of our patients choose to replace old crowns, whether to fix a worn crown or replace a metal crown with a tooth-colored option. Happily, our practice meets those treatment needs as well.
CEREC®
Our new CEREC milling unit allows us to prepare and permanently place the crown all in ONE appointment. No more having an impression taken and having to wear a temporary crown for 2 weeks while the lab fabricates your crown. EVERYTHING is taken care in one appointment. Contact us today to learn more!
The CEREC® system allows us to craft metal free dental restorations for our patients on-site. The benefits of such a system are many: the treatment process is expedited because the dental crowns can be developed during the patient’s visit; the restoration can be highly customized for the patient’s individual needs, and; the all-ceramic restoration is the same color as the patient’s teeth and so blends in.