The Different Types of Dental Crowns You Can Use

Dental crowns are one of those staples that we use to repair teeth. They can correct a large number of problems, which is why a lot of time and innovation has been invested in making sure that they continue to improve. Full porcelain crowns are very popular, and many people prefer them as a natural-looking solution. While this may be true for some patients, there is also no such thing as a one size fits all solution in dental crowns. Different materials have different pros and cons, which means that you must select the one that is the best fit for you and gives you the best results. Most of the time our patients do not know that we still use different materials to make the crown or which one they should choose.

Using porcelain dental crowns has become almost a given in many cases. This is because porcelain has qualities, which make it ideal for replacing or repairing teeth. From an aesthetic point of view porcelain dental crowns look exactly like enamel. In fact, they even feel like enamel to the tongue, which makes them very popular. In addition to this, porcelain dental crowns take on a lot of the same qualities as your naturally occurring enamel. For example, porcelain crowns are very hard which makes them extremely durable and long lasting. Another benefit to porcelain is that it conducts heat poorly. For you that means that immediately after we have placed the crowns, your teeth will not be quite as sensitive as they would have been using a metal crown base. The enamel-like qualities of porcelain are also a disadvantage in some areas. Being like enamel, the porcelain is brittle and given to cracking if you are not careful with how you use your teeth. The hardness, while a benefit in terms of longevity, can work against you by wearing down the opposing teeth.

Gold dental crowns are also extremely popular. While they have gone down in popularity since the invention of porcelain crowns, gold has always been used for making them. Gold has a number of qualities that makes it extremely viable for creating dental crowns. Gold, when mixed with metals like palladium, titanium, and silver, is extremely strong which makes the crowns last for longer. At the same time, gold is soft enough to not wear down the opposing teeth quite as quickly as porcelain can. Another benefit is that gold can be bonded to the tooth using a glass ionomer, which causes less sensitivity in many patients than the techniques used in full porcelain bonding. While gold has advantages, there are also some serious disadvantages. The most obvious of these is the fact that you cannot use gold on a prominent tooth, because of its coloring. Additionally, gold is a very good conductor of heat, making it increasingly likely that you will have more sensitivity to heat and cold on a dental crown repaired with gold.

Most of our patients select tooth-colored dental crowns, but we can discuss all options with you during your appointment.

Dental Veneers  >  Cosmetic Dentistry

Learn How an Implant Restoration Can Help You

Using an implant restoration, to replace a tooth that has been lost, is a technique that has survived the test of time. Using dental implants has been around since the very dawn of dentistry, however, there is a growing awareness and demand for implant restorations sweeping across the country. With over 3 million people having successfully received the restoration, more people are starting to realize that they would rather have a permanent replacement to their teeth than dentures or bridges. The implant works on a simple idea. This being that the root is the core structural support of the tooth. When we replace the root with a dental implant, the implant creates a stable base for us to place a crown on. The implant, which is typically made of titanium, is able to form a mutually beneficial bond with the jawbone in much the same manner as a natural root would. This helps the newly implanted tooth last longer and be more durable.

The process of placing dental implants has gone through a number of changes, including how people perceive it. For the longest time implant restoration surgeries were viewed by people, and more importantly by insurance carriers, as strictly aesthetic in nature. It is understandable how implants could have gotten this reputation. Dental implants give people back teeth that look, feel, and act real. For patients who have lost teeth, getting back teeth that are so realistic that no one can tell the difference, is a huge victory. It brings back confidence, a certain standard of living, and the ability to experience life normally again. All of these have contributed to people wanting perfect teeth, and looking to an implant restoration to achieve this goal. It has also lead to the idea that implants are purely cosmetic in nature, which is simply not the case. As science is catching up with the narrative, we know that implants are not only aesthetic but that they go a long way to helping with facial structure, are critical for restoring a jawbone that may have been going through resorption, and even have an effect on people who have an issues with their bite.

Not only is the dental implant restoration growing in popularity, it has not even begun to make the impact it can as large segments of the population are still unaware of the benefits of having an implant placed. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons found that there is a huge demand for this technology, once people start to realize that it can restore their way of life. The study showed that 69% of all adults between the ages of 35 and 44 have lost at least one tooth. The causes of this were varied and ranged from diseases to accidents, from tooth decay to a failed root canal. When you start thinking about the fact that there are over 15 million adults in the U.S. who are still using antiquated technologies like dentures and bridges for tooth loss, it become apparent how many people dental implants can help - including you.

Dental Veneers  >  Cosmetic Dentistry