Dental Crowns

Posted by

DCDental crowns are a common restorative dental treatment in the United States. You probably know someone who has a dental crown, or you may have one yourself. A dental crown is used to save a tooth that is excessively damaged or decayed. By having a crown placed you are able to retain the healthy tooth structure of your natural tooth which is a mainstay of modern dentistry today. Dental crowns are also called “caps” because they literally cap the damaged tooth recreating the function and aesthetics of the natural tooth.

Uses

If a tooth has excessive damage, but still has enough healthy tooth structure worth saving, rather than pulling the tooth, your dentist will place a dental crown over the remaining tooth structure. Crowns are often used to:

Types of Crowns

There are three types of crowns:

All-Ceramic Crowns: All-Ceramic Crowns are fabricated entirely from dental ceramic materials such as porcelain. The esthetics of the ceramic material, and the fact that they are not as strong as metal crowns, makes them the treatment of choice for front teeth.

Porcelain-Fused-To-Metal (PFM) Crowns: The underlying crown is fabricated of metal for strength and then covered with porcelain for esthetics. PFM crowns lend strength and esthetics to a restoration.

All-Metal Crowns: Fabricated entirely of metal, their strength and durability makes metal crowns the treatment of choice for back teeth, especially when the patient is a chronic grinder.

About your Des Moines Dentist

The Gateway Dental Group provides comprehensive dental treatments including general, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. As a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, Dr. Burds also has extensive experience helping his patients suffering from sleep disorders obtain restful sleep via oral appliance therapy. You can contact Dr. Stephen J. Burds office at 515-442-5659. We welcome patients from River Bend, Kirkwood Glen, East Village, and neighboring communities.