Dental Crowns – Gainesville, FL
Restoring Smiles with Amazing Beauty and Strength
Although your teeth are coated in enamel (the strongest substance in the human body), it’s not completely indestructible. When they decay, crack, or sustain any other type of dental damage, it can become difficult to chew without pain, sleep comfortably, and, sometimes, even concentrate. Fortunately, Drs. Art & Kim Mowery can intervene with lifelike, durable, and long-lasting dental crowns in Gainesville. If you’d like to learn more about this restorative dental solution, you can schedule an appointment with our team or read on!
Why Choose Drs. Art & Kim Mowery for Dental Crowns?
- Dentists Who Trained at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies
- Our Team Has Placed Over 5,000 Porcelain Restorations
- Sedation Dentistry Available for Nervous or Anxious Patients
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a restoration that we can use to correct broken, damaged, heavily decayed, or misshapen teeth. Designed to cover the entire visible portion of your tooth, dental crowns get their name because they literally cap your enamel. Once placed, patients can enjoy a strengthened, more aesthetically pleasing smile. Dental crowns are also used to protect teeth after root canals, covering the more sensitive portion of the tooth.
The Dental Crown Process
The dental crown process is spaced out over two appointments. At the first one, we will treat the tooth before filing it down and taking the necessary impressions. These impressions are sent to the dental lab so the lab artisans can craft your dental crown. Since this process usually takes 2-3 weeks, we will provide you with a temporary crown in the meantime.
Once your permanent crown has arrived at our office, you’ll return for your second appointment. At this time, we will remove your temporary crown and cement your permanent one in place. After checking your bite and ensuring you are happy with the results, we’ll review how to take care of your new smile, and you’ll be set to go home!
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
Dental crowns:
- Restore a damaged tooth to full function
- Are crafted from lifelike materials that blend in seamlessly with your existing smile
- Are extremely versatile (they can be used with root canals, dental implants, and more!)
- Can last for more than a decade with the right best practices in place
- Are easy to care for; consistently brushing, flossing, and visiting us for a dental checkup and cleaning will keep them in good shape.
If you’re struggling with a cracked, decayed, or otherwise damaged tooth, don’t wait to schedule an appointment with us. The sooner you do, the sooner we can treat it, stopping the root of the problem from progressing any further.
Dental Crowns FAQs
Are Dental Crowns Permanent?
Though they are not technically permanent, dental crowns are a durable long-term solution. They can last anywhere from five to fifteen years on average, and excellent oral hygiene is the best way to keep them looking good and working great. The procedure that places a crown is irreversible, so the treated tooth will need to wear a crown for protection from then on, but the process of replacing them is easy and comfortable. Dental crowns serve to protect compromised teeth so they can last for much longer than they would have otherwise.
How Do You Know When a Dental Crown Needs to Be Replaced?
While a professional dental exam is the only way to know for sure if your dental crown needs to be replaced, there are a few signs that it may need replacement such as:
- Pain: If a tooth develops decay after receiving a dental crown, the restoration will have to be removed so the infection can be treated. Afterward, our dentist will determine whether your crown should be placed back on the tooth or be replaced altogether.
- Instability: If you feel your crown moving around on top of your tooth, especially when chewing something sticky, discuss the matter with your dentist as soon as possible.
- Deteriorating appearance: If you can see chips or stains on your crown, you may want to replace it to improve your smile’s appearance.
- A dark line forming around the crown’s base: If you have a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown, the porcelain component can slowly separate from the darker metal part underneath as it ages, forming a dark line that means that it should be replaced soon.
Does It Hurt to Get a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns serve to protect teeth from painful infections and injuries. When placing a dental crown, our dentist will numb your mouth usually using a local anesthetic, but patients with dental anxiety may require dental sedation like nitrous oxide or IV treatments. Your tooth will probably feel extra sensitive for a few days after receiving a dental crown, especially if it was placed because of a root canal. Over-the-counter pain medications can address this discomfort but don’t hesitate to contact us if you find that it continues to worsen.
Do Dental Crowns Feel Natural?
We’ll carefully reshape your tooth before placing a crown so it will fit correctly. While your dental crown might feel rather funny for a while when you first get it, it should start to feel more natural as time goes on. Your crown will be customized to match the rest of your smile and it should eventually become completely unnoticeable. While you might notice a slight difference in your crown’s texture when you run your tongue across your teeth, crowns are designed to stand up to the pressures of chewing, so eating while wearing one should feel completely natural.
