As a provider of dental restorations, we know that a crown can last for 15 years to a lifetime, depending on how well you care for it. This can give off the impression that a crown cannot be damaged. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Just as your natural teeth can be damaged, a crown can be, as well. Doing things like biting down on a piece or ice or getting in an accident can lead to a crown chipping, cracking, or becoming loose. If this happens to you, it is important to call our office to have the damaged tooth restored.
Reasons you could need dental restorations
An infection can lead you to need a dental restoration. If the center of your tooth becomes infected, we may need to perform a root canal to remove the infected area. Afterward, a restoration could be necessary to restore the missing tooth structure. Restorations are also needed after a tooth has become damaged. If you feel like you have a chipped or cracked tooth, you should be able to identify the general area that is damaged by running your tongue along your teeth. If you damage a front tooth, it will be obvious by looking in the mirror. If it is to a back tooth, the only way that you may be able to tell is by touch. Whether your natural tooth or your dental crown is damaged, it is important to visit our office as soon as possible. If you are not experiencing any discomfort, it is okay if you need to wait a day or two. Otherwise, be sure to come in right away.
How dental restorations for crowns can help you
If it is your crown that has been damaged, we might be able to repair it instead of removing it. Sometimes, the crown can be smoothed out and restored with bonding material. This will save you from needing an additional procedure, but we will need to take an x-ray first to make sure that the tooth underneath is not damaged. If it is, we will need to treat the tooth and then replace your dental crown. For example, if the tooth underneath your crown became infected, we would need to remove the crown, remove the infection, and then restore the tooth again.
There are times where a dental crown is not enough to save the tooth, and it needs to be extracted. In this case, we will make a recommendation for how to replace the tooth after the extraction. Dental bridges are an excellent option if you are looking for a non-surgical solution and have two healthy teeth surrounding the missing one. In this procedure, a crown is placed on the two teeth so they can serve as anchors to hold the bridge and new tooth in place. The results are natural-looking and durable. A dental implant is a good alternative if you want to have a tooth that looks and functions like a natural tooth in every way. In this procedure, we replace the root with a titanium post that a new tooth is secured to.
We offer a wide range of options for restoring teeth and fixing damaged dental crowns. To learn more, call and schedule an appointment today.