When you're getting a dental crown in Vancouver for the first time, you may have many questions. What is the process like? How long does it take? Does getting a crown hurt?
We're going to answer those questions here so you'll know exactly what to expect when it's time for your procedure.
Why You Might Need a Dental Crown
Your dentist will typically recommend a crown for a tooth in these situations:
- It's broken and decayed beyond what filling can repair
- To strengthen a tooth treated with a root canal
- If an old filling has broken down and can no longer support your tooth
- As a cosmetic restoration
The Five-Step Process of Getting a Crown in Vancouver
Your dental crown will require approximately two appointments with your Vancouver dentist and will take about two or three weeks to complete.
Preparing Your Tooth
During your first crown appointment, your dentist will first numb the area around your tooth to ensure that you don't feel any discomfort during your procedure. Then they reshape your damaged tooth so your new restoration will fit snugly over the top.
Taking Impressions for Your New Crown
Next, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth used to create your new porcelain crown. If you've had a crown in the past, you may remember the uncomfortable and messy impressions dentists used for crowns. These days, the good news is that your dentists at Alta Dental Sudio use digital impressions, which utilize 3-D imaging and eliminate the need for the goopy impressions used in the past.
Creating a Temporary Crown
Once we take impressions, it's time to protect your remaining tooth structure with a temporary crown. You'll wear this until you return to get your final porcelain crown seated.
Crafting Your Crown at the Dental Lab
Your dentist in Vancouver relies on a trusted dental laboratory to handcraft your crown to their exact specifications. This process takes two to three weeks to complete.
Permanently Placing Your Dental Crown
Once the dental lab completes your restoration, you'll return to Alta Dental Studio to have it permanently placed. During this visit, your dentist will seat your crown and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that your crown fits and functions properly.
How to Take Care of Your Dental Crown
After your crown is permanently seated, it is ready for you to begin chewing, eating, and smiling with confidence. With that said, your crown does require care, just like your natural teeth, to ensure its longevity.
Even though your crown won't be susceptible to tooth decay, daily brushing and flossing will help keep your new tooth clean, so bacteria doesn't enter your tooth below its surface. You should be able to gently floss around your crown, being careful not to pull it off inadvertently.
Also, like your natural tooth, you should be careful about the foods you eat. Avoid sticky and chewy foods that could pull your crown off of your tooth. And don't bite into hard pieces of bread, fruits, or vegetables that could fracture or break your crown.
Regular visits to your dentist every six months for teeth cleanings and checkups will also protect the health of your crown.
If you have additional questions about tooth crowns in Vancouver or any other dental procedure you might need, don't hesitate to contact Alta Dental Studio at (604) 876-5032 for more information.
Living with damaged or missing teeth has a dramatic impact on your oral health, confidence, and ability to enjoy simple actions like eating your favourite foods or interacting with others.
Placing a new dental crown is a five-step process:
