Understanding the Importance of Dental Crowns: Insights from Smile Today Dental

Dental crowns are highly versatile restorations that can serve multiple purposes. A crown can help restore a fractured tooth, support a severely decayed tooth, or protect a root canal tooth. Crowns can also be used purely for cosmetic reasons, i.e., to cover a misshapen or undersized tooth to improve your smile’s aesthetics. As crowns can be costly, it’s only natural to ask your Glenview, Illinois, dentist if it’s necessary to crown your tooth.

Our team at Smile Today Dental takes the time to explain the primary uses of crowns and when and why they may be needed.

Determining the Need for a Dental Crown     

Dental crowns are special “caps” that cover a tooth for protection, support, or cosmetic improvement. They are custom-made in a lab from a mold taken of your teeth and serve as protective shields for weak or fragile teeth. When placed over a tooth, a dental crown will completely cover its structure all the way to the gum line. The crown basically replaces your tooth’s compromised structure with a stronger, more stable structure that restores your tooth’s shape, size, and color. In so doing, dental crowns protect vulnerable teeth from further damage and restore their usefulness. Once cemented in place, crowns become a permanent part of your smile, protecting your teeth for years.

With that knowledge, it’s time to decide whether you need a crown. Here are some situations where we may recommend dental crown placement:

Sustain a Tooth with a Large Filling

Severe decay can wreak havoc on a tooth, destroying its structure. After removing the decay, your dentist may decide that a filling isn’t enough to contain the damage. If the tooth has been filled before, there’s a greater chance of fracturing due to its weakened structure. Crowning your decayed tooth will keep it intact and make it usable again.

Repair a Broken or Fractured Tooth

A tooth cracked or broken in an accident is prone to infection, decay, and further breakage simply because its structure has been compromised. You may even be unable to use that tooth due to pain when you bite or chew. The damage can be contained in many cases, and your tooth is restored with a dental crown. Crowning your tooth restores its usefulness and keeps it from having to be removed.

Protect a Root Canal Tooth

A root canal requires that we drill into your tooth to remove the infected pulp. This weakens your tooth, putting it at risk of cracking. Covering your tooth with a crown protects it for the future. With proper care, a root canal tooth can provide you with years of quality use.

Dental crowns can also be used to complete other restorative dental treatments, such as fixed bridges and dental implants.

New Crowns for Teeth Near Me

To learn more about our dental crown treatments, contact our team at Smile Today Dental in Glenview, IL, at 847-440-3331. 

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