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PORCELAIN CROWNS

What is Porcelain Crown?

Porcelain crowns replace the exterior portion of the tooth to re–establish its original function and to create a natural appearance. Crowns are the treatment of choice where tooth decay has destroyed most of the original tooth, when a traumatic event has caused damage to the original tooth structure, This may also be an option for people who grind their teeth so much that the original structure of their teeth has been compromised.

An advantage to porcelain crowns is they can not only mirror the original tooth in function, but can be designed to match the original. When patients opt for a porcelain crown for cosmetic reasons, they are usually covering up the front portion of the tooth that has some flaw. A porcelain crown is thicker than a veneer and, in some situations, this thickness is needed to cover the portion of the tooth for cosmetic reasons.

Crowns and veneers are fixed in place using a light sensitive resin between the original tooth and crown, once in place a special curing light is used to secure the crown in place.

Partial crowns or Inlay, An inlay is similar to a filling but the dental work resides completely within the cusps on a tooth’s chewing surface. These restorations are more conservative than crowns, and can be impossible to distinguish from your natural tooth.

You may need a crown to:

  • Restore a broken or wore down tooth
  • Support a tooth with a large filling
  • Improve the color and shape
  • Cover an implant
  • make cosmetic modification

Treatment Steps:

1) X-ray & Examination :

It is important to check the roots of the tooth , if there is a risk of infection , root canal treatment should be performed first.

2) Local anesthesia :

Anestesic medicine will be injected in the soft tissue to numb the tooth. If patient has dentist phobia we can offer IV sedation along with local anesthesia. For IV sedation please dont forget to enquire it in advance.

3) Reduce the tooth size :

All sides of the tooth will be grinded professionally to make space for the crown and cementation. If a big decay is cleaned during this process tooth will be reformed with white filling.

4) Impression :

Take an impression of the tooth/teeth that crown will be covering. Typically putty or paste is used to take impression. And to be able to fix the biting position both upper and lower jaw teeth`s impression will be taken. Then impressions will be sent to the lab to manufacture crowns.

5) Temporary Crowns :

On the same day temporary crowns will be manufactured quickly and placed to protect the grinded tooth until the permanent crown is ready. Temporary crowns are made of acrylic and they are diathermic, so patients should stay away from too hot and too cold.

6) Design :

Patient will be asked to choose a shade and a specific form for the crowns with the help of dentist. And we will have a lab to work on production of your crowns.

7) Trial :

Next visit temporary crowns will be taken off and half way manufactured permanent crowns will be fitted to check if everything is going well before finishing. And at the end of this visit temporary crowns will be fitted back.

8) Finish :

Third visit if everything is acceptable, dentist will numb the teeth again and cement the permanent crown. Once Permanent crowns are cemented , there is a low chance to take them off in one piece again.

Treatment takes 3-7 days.

    What Kind of Crowns are Available ?

    • Porcelain fused to Metal Crowns ( PFM )

    Porcelain fused to Metal Crowns ( PFM ) are metal crowns with a layer of porcelain on the top . For a very long time they were the most common ones but nowadays non-metal crowns are preferred because PFM crowns are aesthetically limitted, the grayish color of metal is hard to cover by white porcelain. Although it is more of a pocket friendly option for those whose priority is not aesthetic.

    • Full Ceramic Crowns ( Full Porcelain Crowns )

    a) Porcelain fused to Zirconium Crowns are the most durable, strong and natural-looking and durable type of teeth crowns.

    Porcelain fused to zirconia (PFZ) crowns and bridges can serve as a CAD/CAM alternative to the traditional porcelain fused to metal (PFM) restorations. Porcelain fused zirconia can be used for crowns and bridges according to your requirements. When porcelain is layered over zirconia substructure, you get an incredibly strong (1200 Mpa and higher) prosthetic with lifelike translucency. These durable and attractive bridges and crowns are suitable for both anterior and posterior restorations.

    b) Porcelain fused to E-max Crowns are extremely durable and highly esthetic, they are the best match to your natural teeth.

    Emax is a relatively new type of porcelain material that has quickly become state of the art in dentistry. They are the most popular for restoring front teeth. The E-Max crown is usually milled from a single block of lithium disilicate, which makes it very tough and durable.Compared to the classic: Porcelain fused to metal crown that was the standard for decades, there is no junction or fusion of porcelain to any metal, which minimizes the possibility of chipping or breaking.

    Tips to make sure your dental crown lasts longer

    Brush your teeth twice a day and floss once a day.

    Maintaining porcelain dental crowns is actually quite simple. Much like your original teeth, they require reqular brushing with fluoride toothpaste and regular flossing.

    See your dentist regularly for examinations and teeth cleaning ( at least once a year ).

    Avoid Grinding your teeth , biting your nails, openning packages and bottles with your teeth.