General dentists provide dental crowns to restore the appearance of a tooth and improve its strength and function. The dental crown is a covering for the tooth. Once in place, it covers the whole visible part of the tooth that is above the gum line. If you are scheduled to get a dental crown, you may be curious about how the dentist will handle the production process.
A dental crown is a restorative treatment to save a damaged tooth. Dental crowns can be divided into two categories: traditional dental crowns and same-day crowns. The differences between the two types are the duration of production and where it happens.
Two dental appointments are usually required. At the first appointment, the dentist will examine and prepare the tooth that will get the crown. They may take X-rays of the tooth and supporting ones. If there are signs or risks of infections or damage to the tooth pulp, they may perform a root canal treatment.
To make space for the crown, the crown is filed down around the sides and the top. The amount of tooth structure removed depends on the crown material. Full metal crowns are thinner and do not require removing as much tooth structure, unlike porcelain or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. If a significant part of the tooth is lost to damage or decay, a filling material is used to rebuild the tooth structure for the crowning procedure.
After preparing the tooth, the dentist will take impressions with a paste or putty. They will also take impressions of the teeth opposite the tooth. This is to ensure proper bite alignment.
The dentist will send the impressions to a dental laboratory that will make the crown. The finished crown is returned to the dental office in about two weeks. Until then, the patient will get a temporary crown to protect the tooth before the permanent tooth is ready.
At the second appointment, the dentist will place the permanent crown. First, the temporary crown is taken off. They will check the fit and color of the permanent crown. If everything is in order, they may use a local anesthetic to numb the tooth before permanently cementing the new crown over the tooth.
Same-day crowns are created in the general dentists’ office if they have the equipment. In a process similar to that of placing conventional crowns, the dentist will first prepare the tooth for a crown by removing decay and shaping the tooth to fit the new crown.
After this, a scanning device will be used to take digital images of the tooth in the mouth. A computer software produces 3D models of the tooth and transfers the image to the in-office machine that fabricates the crown from a block of ceramic. This method is known as computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM). The entire crowning process is completed in a single dental appointment.
General dentists can make crowns in the office if they have the equipment. Without it, they will need to forward tooth impressions to the dental lab to create the crown. If you have questions about the process, book an appointment for a consultation.
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