Having dental issues can leave you hesitant to flash a smile. This can have long-lasting impacts on your oral and overall health. Luckily, Dazzling Dentistry can offer you many options to restore your smile. Restorative dentistry provides solutions like dental crowns in Chicago and Arlington Heights, IL to improve your tooth function and appearance.
Dental crown treatment can be the solution you’ve been searching for. Our team is here to guide you through the dental crown process to restore your confidence.
How Dental Crowns Fix Your Smile
Dental crowns are incredibly versatile restorations. Through a unique process, we design them to perfectly fit your teeth. As a result, they can address many different dental concerns. Dental crowns act as a protective cap for your teeth. They help to cover a damaged or weakened tooth.
- Tooth Decay: With severe decay, the structure of your tooth becomes vulnerable. A cavity will continue to burrow into your tooth without treatment. However, a crown can cover and protect the affected area. As a result, it’ll prevent further damage.
- Cracked or Chipped Teeth: While enamel is one the strongest substances in your body, it’s still capable of chipping or breaking. Dental crowns provide structural support This restores the tooth to its original form.
- Weakened Teeth: Teeth can weaken over time because of age or after extensive dental work. Therefore, your dentist can use dental crowns to strengthen and support your teeth.
- Cosmetic Enhancements: Dental crowns aren’t just functional. They can also improve the look of your smile. In fact, we can use dental crowns to cover discolored or misshapen teeth.
The most common causes that need a crown or a veneer are a weakened tooth after severe decay or cavity, a natural tooth that’s cracked or fractured, or a tooth that has undergone a root canal treatment. You’ll need an average of two appointments to get custom-made crowns.
The Dental Crown Procedure in Chicago
In an effort to prepare yourself, you should understand the procedure. You can get custom crowns in several office visits:
Evaluation
The first step is a thorough oral health check-up. At this appointment, we’ll talk about what you’re hoping to achieve with your smile and assess your overall oral health. This helps us determine if a dental crown is the best option for you. We’ll make sure your teeth and gums are healthy enough for the procedure.
Preparation
Once we’ve decided that a crown is right for you, we must prepare your tooth. Dr. Radziszewski will remove a small amount of enamel from the tooth to make space for the crown. This step is painless because we’ll numb the area with a local anesthetic. The goal is to ensure the crown fits comfortably and securely over your tooth.
Impressions
After preparing the tooth, we’ll take an impression of your teeth. This helps us create a crown that fits perfectly and matches the shape and size of your natural teeth. The impressions are important for crafting a crown that feels right and looks natural.
Temporary Crown
You’ll wear a temporary crown while your custom crown is being made. This protects the prepared tooth and keeps it comfortable until the permanent crown is ready. The temporary crown will be fitted securely but can easily be removed when it’s time for the permanent one.
Fitting the Permanent Crown
When the custom crown is ready, you’ll return to the office for the final fitting. We’ll place the crown on your tooth and check to make sure it fits well and feels natural. We’ll also make adjustments if needed.
Once everything is perfect, Dr. Radziszewski will securely bond the crown to your tooth. You’ll leave our office with a restored, beautiful smile!
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How to Care for Dental Crowns
You can easily maintain your new crowns at home and in our dental office. Follow these tips so your crowns last:
- Brush and Floss: Just like your natural teeth, crowns need to be cleaned every day. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day to remove plaque and food particles. Pay extra attention to the area where the crown meets your gumline to prevent decay or gum disease.
- Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools: Avoid using your teeth to open packages, bite nails, or hold objects. This can chip or crack your crown. You can damage your crown just like you can damage your natural teeth.
- Visit Our Dentist Regularly: Regular check-ups and cleanings are essential to keep your crown and the rest of your mouth healthy. Our dentist will check the crown to make sure it’s still secure and look for any signs of problems, like decay or gum issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re unfamiliar with dental crowns, you may have several questions. Learn more about dental crown treatment in Chicago and Arlington Heights with answers to these commonly asked questions.
What are dental crowns made of?
Dental crowns can be made from different materials depending on your needs. Common options include porcelain, ceramic, metal, or a mix of these materials. Porcelain and ceramic crowns look very natural because they match the color of your teeth. They’re a popular choice for front teeth.
Metal crowns, like gold or other alloys, are strong. These crowns often used for back teeth that do a lot of chewing. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns combine strength and a natural look to give you the benefits of both materials. Our office recommends tooth-colored crowns because metal crowns don’t blend in with your teeth.
How much natural tooth do I need to get a crown?
To get a dental crown, you need enough of your natural tooth left to support it. Our dentist will remove a small amount of enamel to make room for the crown, but the remaining tooth should be strong enough to hold the crown in place.
We generally recommend that you have 1/4 of your tooth left before you get a crown. If a tooth is very damaged or weak, we may need to build it up with a filling or another material. Then we can securely place your crown.
Will I have sensitivity after getting a crown?
You may have mild sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures for a few days after getting a dental crown. However, this sensitivity should go away after your tooth adjusts to the new crown. If the sensitivity persists, you should call the dentist for a consultation.
When can I eat after a dental crown?
You want to be careful with what you eat right after dental crown treatment. Your tooth and gums may feel numb from the anesthetic, so avoid chewing until the numbness wears off to prevent accidentally biting your cheek or tongue. During the first few days, try to stick to soft foods. You want to avoid very hard, sticky, or crunchy foods that could damage the crown or irritate your tooth.
Once your crown is fully set and your tooth feels normal, you can eat your usual foods. Just remember to avoid using it to bite open packages or chew very hard items to keep it in good condition over time.
How do crowns compare to veneers?
Dental crowns and veneers both improve the look and function of teeth, but they work in different ways. Tooth crowns cover the entire tooth. They can protect weak, cracked, or heavily damaged teeth. Crowns restore both the strength and appearance of the tooth.
Veneers are thin shells that only cover the front surface of the tooth. They’re mostly used for cosmetic reasons, like fixing discoloration, chips, or minor misalignment. Veneers improve how the tooth looks but don’t provide as much strength as a crown. We can help decide which treatment is best based on how much damage your tooth has and the results you want for your smile.
Will a crown look like a natural tooth?
Yes. At Dazzling Dentistry, we work with local dental labs and plan treatment so your crowns match the color, shape, and size of your surrounding teeth. We also recommend porcelain crowns, so most people won’t even notice you have a crown. Our dentist will make sure your new crowns fit and feel well.
Can a dental crown fall off?
While rare, dental crowns can occasionally come loose or fall off. If this happens, contact your dentist immediately. You should avoid attempting to reattach the crown yourself. Keep it in a safe place until you can see your dentist.
Can I whiten my teeth if I have dental crowns?
Dental crowns don’t respond to teeth whitening procedures. Our crowns are made from materials like porcelain that match the color of your teeth. But unlike natural teeth, these materials don’t have pores, so they can’t absorb whitening agents like bleach or peroxide. Your crowns will stay the same color while your natural teeth may get whiter.
If you’re considering teeth whitening, we recommend it before you get dental crowns. This makes sure that you have a uniform shade.
Cover and Protect Teeth
Do you have worn or broken teeth? Get dental crown treatment in Chicago, IL. Call Dazzling Dentistry’s Arlington Heights office at (224) 328-2452 or Chicago office at (872) 276-8546. You can also schedule an appointment with us on our website.