Dental Crowns at Ryba Dentistry 

For patients struggling with the discomfort or embarrassment of severely damaged teeth, Ryba Dentistry is here to help. Through our progressive techniques and state-of-the-art dental equipment, we can restore the health, comfort, and beauty of your smile with ceramic dental crowns that look and feel as good as your natural teeth. Here's what you should know about dental crowns before scheduling an appointment with Dr. Ryba and his team to achieve a healthy, more radiant smile.

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What is a Dental Crown?

A crown is a covering or "cap" that is cemented on top of an existing tooth.  At Ryba Dentistry, dental crowns are made of ceramic, which allows them to look, feel, and function like natural teeth.

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Why Would I Need a Dental Crown?

There are many cases in which a patient may benefit from having a dental crown placed in their mouth. In most cases, tooth crowns are placed to restore teeth that are broken when the break is too large to be fixed with a simple filling.  Dental crowns are also placed in cases where a tooth is partially fractured to prevent the tooth structure around the fracture from flexing or fracturing further. Additionally, dental crowns are placed to strengthen teeth that have large fillings, at risk of fracture, and help prevent teeth that have undergone root canal treatment from breaking. Finally, dental crowns can be placed to improve the appearance of one's smile by covering discolored or damaged teeth.

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What Are the Benefits of a Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are long-lasting products that are easy to care for once they have been placed in a patient's mouth. They are effective at mitigating the further risk of tooth fracture, restoring the full function of broken teeth, and providing the feel and appearance of natural teeth. Dental crowns work well at treating a variety of dental concerns, such as:

 

• Broken, cracked, or chipped teeth

• Weak teeth that are at risk of fracture 

• Large cavities that cannot be filled

• Discolored or misshapen teeth

 

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What Are the Types of Dental Crowns?

Some older-style dental crowns are made of a mixture of metals, including gold. These crowns wear down over time and occasionally develop holes at the chewing surface, necessitating their replacement to prevent decay. Another type of crown is called a "porcelain fused to metal crown." These types of crowns are created with a metal substructure that includes tooth-colored porcelain layered on top to give the crown a more natural appearance. Over time, the bond between the metal and the porcelain may break, revealing the metal substructure. When this occurs, replacement is warranted to restore full function to the chewing surface of the crowned tooth. At Ryba Dentistry, we are proud to offer fully ceramic crowns, which look and feel like natural teeth. They are also at significantly less risk of fracture as they do not have a metal/porcelain juncture and won't wear down over time.

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What's Involved in the Dental Crown Procedure?

Dental crowns are restorative dental procedures that are typically broken into two visits. At the first visit, called the "crown preparation," the dentist will remove 1.0-2.0 mm of tooth structure from all sides of the tooth that is being crowned. The careful removal of this tooth structure is necessary to make room for the final crown. Then, the dentist will take an impression of the tooth. This can be done using a tray filled with a fast-setting taffy-like material, or using a digital scanner. Lastly, the dentist will create a temporary crown and bond it to the tooth being crowned. The temporary tooth cap is made of plastic and is intended to last a few weeks until the final crown is ready.

 

The entire crown preparation process takes about an hour. The impression is then sent to a dental laboratory, where a technician makes models of the tooth needing the crown and forms the final crown out of ceramic. The final crown is usually ready in two weeks. When the final tooth crown is ready, the patient returns for a thirty-minute visit, at which time the temporary crown will be removed and the final crown will be cemented in place.

 

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Is It Painful to Get a Dental Crown?

No. Dental anesthetics prevent the patient from experiencing discomfort during the crown preparation and placement visits. Some patients experience mild cold sensitivity at the crown preparation site until the final crown is placed, however, this usually subsides immediately after the placement of the final crown.

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How Do I Care for My Dental Crown?

Brushing and flossing every day and visiting Ryba Dentistry every six months for routine dental exams and cleanings is the best way to keep your dental crown in prime condition for years to come. Dental crowns are one of the longest-lasting products that a dentist can place in your mouth. With proper oral health practices at home, many crowns last as long as decades.

 

Achieving the smile you've always wanted doesn't have to be complicated, painful, or expensive. Dr. Ryba and his compassionate team can help you improve your smile quickly and easily with dental crowns. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn more about how a dental crown could benefit you!

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