What Is A Dental Crown And When Do Dentists Use Them?

Dental crowns are a common tool that dentists use to fix teeth, and your dentist may use them for many reasons. If your dentist ever tells you that you need a crown, you might wonder what it is and why you need it. Here are some vital things to understand about these dental crowns.

What a Crown Is in Dentistry

When your dentist mentions that you need a dental crown, you can ask them to explain what that is. They will likely tell you that it is a partial tooth that they make to fit over your existing tooth. They cement the tooth over your existing tooth to attach it, and the crown should not move after they complete this step. The purpose of it is to cover a weak or vulnerable tooth in an attempt to save the tooth. A tooth that needs a crown is one that is too weak to stand alone. Without having a crown on it, the dentist might have to remove the tooth. It is often better to try to save a tooth by using a crown rather than to remove it.

The Reasons Dentists Recommend Them for Teeth

Dentists use dental crowns for several reasons. First, a dentist might use one if the tooth has a large amount of decay. If your dentist fixes a cavity on the tooth, and you develop another cavity on the same tooth, it might have too much decay to handle another filling. In this case, a crown would be the best solution.

Your dentist might also recommend one if your tooth needs a root canal. To access the roots, they might have to remove a good portion of the tooth structure, leaving the tooth too weak to stand alone.

Dentists also use dental crowns to fix cracked teeth. If your tooth has a big crack in it or part of it breaks off, your dentist might be able to save the tooth by placing a crown on it. If so, you can keep your permanent tooth, which is always better than having to replace an entire tooth.

Dental crowns help to save teeth. If your dentist recommends one, it is because you need it to save a tooth. If you have questions about the costs, reasons, or steps in the procedure, talk to a dentist today. They can provide further information and details regarding the dental crown procedure.