Dental crowns are a popular restorative solution for damaged, decayed, or discoloured teeth. This versatile dental restoration provides cosmetic and practical benefits by restoring a tooth’s shape, appearance, and functionality.
The dental crown procedure involves placing a tooth-shaped cap over an existing tooth or a dental implant. The crown restores the structural integrity and look of the tooth and creates an even chewing surface. It also protects your tooth from further damage due to tooth decay or trauma.
If your dentist has prescribed a dental crown to repair your smile, you’re probably wondering what crowns look like on teeth?
At No Gaps Dental, we proudly provide same-day CEREC dental crowns. CEREC technology uses advanced dental software and state-of-the-art machining equipment to produce durable and natural-looking ceramic prostheses in just one appointment, so you spend less time in the dental chair.
Our custom-fabricated CEREC crowns are indistinguishable from your natural teeth so that you can eat, talk, laugh and smile with confidence.
Why You Might Need a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is often needed to cover and preserve a tooth that can’t be restored with a standard filling. A series of dental crowns may be used along with a bridge to restore multiple teeth or fill a gap. Other reasons you may need dental crowns include:
- Keep weak, cracked, or decayed teeth intact
- Covering a large filling where there isn’t much natural tooth remaining
- Protecting a tooth after root canal therapy
- Improving the aesthetic of worn or discoloured teeth
- Supporting a dental bridge
- Cap a dental implant
Standard dental crowns cover a tooth in its entirety, protecting the complete structure. In cases where your tooth still has a lot of remaining structure, your dentist may recommend an inlay or onlay, also known as a partial or ¾ dental crown. This type of crown doesn’t provide full coverage. Inlays fill in cavities and hollows in the tooth’s cusps, and onlays are applied to larger areas on the tooth’s chewing surface.
What Do Crowns Look Like On Teeth: Choosing the Right Material
The different materials used for dental crowns change how they appear in your mouth. Traditionally, gold alloy was the standard material used to fabricate dental crowns because it is exceptionally durable and can withstand intense bite pressure.
Although metal crowns are still available today, they are mainly used for molars and premolars because they are highly noticeable. However, even those crowns are fused with porcelain for a seamless smile.
Ceramic, porcelain, zirconia, and all-resin dental crowns are the most popular crown materials in modern dentistry. They produce more natural-looking restorations and may be shaped and polished to blend with your existing teeth and natural complexion.
What Do Crowns Look Like On Teeth? CEREC Crowns
Chairside economic restoration of esthetic ceramic (CEREC) is modern dental technology used to design and manufacture precision crowns and other dental restorations, including veneers, inlays, and onlays. A CEREC system uses three primary components: an intraoral camera, dental design software, and a milling machine.
At No Gaps Dental, CEREC technology enables us to provide same-day dental crowns, meaning we can complete your entire restoration in a single visit. Every step of the procedure takes place on-site, including fabrication. Fitting a custom CEREC crown involves four key steps:
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Oral examination
Using an intraoral CEREC camera, your dentist scans your teeth and gums, gauging your oral health. However, if you have active gum disease, you may require periodontal treatment such as deep cleaning and scaling and root planing procedures.
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Dental crown design
The intraoral scanning technology creates digital impressions of your teeth and gums, which are then sent to the computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) software. Using 3D mock-ups created by the computer software, your dentist designs your custom crown on-screen in minutes. This step eliminates the time-consuming process of making messy teeth moulds.
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Dental crown fabrication
Once your dentist is satisfied with the shape and design of your custom prosthesis, the design is sent digitally to the milling machine for fabrication.
Single-tooth restorations can be completed in as little as 6 minutes.
However, fabrication typically takes between 15-20 minutes.
Unlike all-resin, porcelain, or composite restorations, CEREC crowns are crafted from a single ceramic block.
The monolithic structure increases its durability and longevity, with many crowns lasting between 10-15 years.
The zirconia ceramic used for CEREC crowns is colour-matched to your natural teeth, providing a realistic-looking finish.
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Fitting the dental crown
The final step is to fit, shape, and polish your crown. The dental crown is permanently bonded using dental cement. Although our CEREC technology enables us to create precision dental crowns, your dentist may need to make slight alternations to ensure the crown is proportioned and shaped correctly.
Benefits of CEREC Dental Crowns
CEREC dental crowns enable you to achieve your dream smile in under two hours.
CEREC crowns are less invasive than conventional crowns because there is no need for messy dental impressions. The scanning technology also allows dentists to create crowns with more precision so they can preserve as much of the tooth’s natural structure as possible.
With CEREC technology, you don’t need to wear a temporary crown while your permanent dental crown is fabricated. Temporary crowns can feel uncomfortable and make it challenging to eat and speak.
Regain Your Confidence With Custom Dental Crowns
At No Gaps Dental, we pride ourselves on providing the latest dental treatments using state-of-the-art technology.
If you want to restore a damaged, misshapen, or severely discoloured tooth, book an appointment at one of our 15 Sydney-based clinics today. Our experienced dentists can provide all the information you need about what crowns look like on teeth and whether you are a candidate for CEREC dental crowns.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
The nature and frequency of bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaws in dental implant patients: a South Australian case series
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20116705/
Periodontal Treatments and Procedures
https://www.perio.org/for-patients/periodontal-treatments-and-procedures/
How Long Can You Expect a Dental Crown to Last?
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-a-crown-last#types