Most people have heard of a crown, but they don’t really know what they are, beyond something Prince Harry will one day wear!
At EMA Dental, we use crowns to repair teeth that are damaged and to anchor bridges onto adjacent healthy teeth. A crown is a cap placed over the part of the tooth that sits above the gum line. They can be made of either metal alloy or porcelain.
Reasons to have a crown
Crowns can have a wide variety of uses. The most common are:
- If a tooth is deeply cracked or worn
- If a tooth has a very large cavity
- If a tooth has a root canal procedure
- If a tooth is abnormally small, oddly shaped, or very discolored
How are crowns placed?
Fitting and placing a crown usually takes two appointments. During your first appointment, we remove any decay or other area of the tooth that is not savable. In cases where a tooth has extensive decay, it can’t be simply filled because the filling will occupy too large an area and won’t have the strength necessary for long-term chewing and biting. A crown is needed.
To prepare your tooth for a crown, once we have removed any decay or damage, we shave off some of the healthy portion of the tooth. This is necessary to make room for the crown to be fitted atop the tooth. Then we take dental impressions and send them off to the lab for the fabrication of your crown. While the crown is being made, we fit you with a temporary crown.
When your crown is finished, you return and we check the fit. Then the crown is permanently cemented onto your tooth. Any final shaping and polishing is done, and you’re good to go.
So, give that damaged or decayed tooth the royal treatment — have the pros at EMA Dental put a crown on it. Call either our Longmeadow or Northhampton offices to schedule your appointment.