If your dental health care provider has recommended a dental crown for you, it may be for one of the following reasons:
* To protect a damaged or decayed tooth
* To cover a tooth that is mostly filling
* To secure a dental bridge
* To protect a dental implant
* To protect a tooth that’s had a root canal
Getting a dental crown is a standard and common procedure that usually takes two appointments and can be done in the dental office.
The First Appointment
At your first appointment, your dental health care provider will do the following:
* Look at the tooth and take x-rays of it along with the bone around it to see if you need any further treatment, such as a root canal
* Discuss recommendations for what type of crown to get (porcelain, metal-alloy, gold, or combinations of these materials are all used to create crowns)
* Numb the area around the tooth, just like when you get a filling
* File the tooth down to prepare it for the crown (how much it must be filed depends on the type of crown you will be getting)
* Make a mold, or impression, of the tooth, using a special type of paste.
* Take an impression of the teeth above or below the crown to make sure it will fit your bite correctly
* Place a temporary crown to protect the tooth while waiting for the permanent crown to be made
After the appointment, your dental health care provider will send the impressions of your teeth to a lab, where dental technicians will craft a crown based on the shape of the impressions. This process usually takes two to three weeks.
Your Second Appointment
At your second appointment, you will receive your permanent crown. Your dental health care provider will:
* Remove the temporary crown
* Inspect the new crown to ensure the color, shape, and fit is correct
* Cement the new crown to the tooth
This process is usually painless, however, if you are in any discomfort, your dental health care provider will numb the area.
Same-Day Crowns
Some dental offices can place a permanent crown in one visit. This is possible through computer-aided design (CAD). The steps involved in this process include the following:
* A scanning device will be used to take images of your tooth
* CAD software will create a 3D model of your tooth
* The software will send the 3D model to a machine that can craft a ceramic crown in as little as 15 minutes
* Your dental health care provider will cement the crown in place
Recovery
There is not much recovery needed during or after the dental crown placement process. The gums around the tooth may be mildly irritated or inflamed, but discomfort is minimal and does not last long. After you get your permanent crown, it may feel a bit different than your original tooth. Usually after a few days it will feel normal; if not, your dental health care provider can adjust the crown or the teeth around it to make sure it you’re your bite perfectly.